


Arranged Love

by AyaFaulkner



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sailor Moon Fusion, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Historical References, OTP Feels, Oral Sex, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-01-15 22:56:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 59,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18508762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AyaFaulkner/pseuds/AyaFaulkner
Summary: It's hard to be a woman in 1894, having to learn to fall in love with your husband and gain his love in return.  Serena had always dreamed of marrying her Prince, the love of her life.  But things get complicated when she finds she is already promised to another.  When you are a closed-off man, Darien has to do more to get Serena to see his love for her.  Rated NC-17 for sex scenes cause, yes they had sex in 1894...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by Beej88, SailorMoon489, and DarkenedHeart101. A Historical romance with researched language and events. Please let me know what you think!! Also, I cannot for the life of me figure out italics or anything on here so when you see **** in between them is supposed to be italicized. Sorry for any confusion....

**Chapter 1**

 

Completely surrounded and nowhere else to turn, she flopped into the high grass, hiding from view. Having run off after her morning chores, it would take a while for either of her sisters or her mother to find her here. It was her safe haven.

Hills spread like waves on the ocean around her, green and wide, some with homes on the top of them. Her home was one of them, sitting on the very tip of the wave in the near distance from her. Above her, nothing but bright blue skies and white fluffs that never seemed to move. This was the magical land she was born in, Hamilton Scotland. She had never been anywhere else and she suspected other places held more magic, but they were a mystery.

Laying on her belly, she pulled out the small and beloved book, its pages safe while its bindings suffered. Battered, the cover no longer bore the color it was given and now was yellow with time and sun. Many of the pages were filled but it was those that were not that were her main interest. The ink filled tool her father had procured for her on his last trip to London had served her well these last few years, and now it was in her hand again.

_March 1894,_

_I await my dear Prince, the one who will take me to the faraway lands of Gaeilge and away from the toils of my wicked sisters to freedom. Glad filled tidings will greet us as returning victors of this realm and a feast will meet us. He will take me as his Queen and the two of us will live happily ever….._

“Are you writing nonsense again?”

Startled, she glanced up, finding her hiding spot discovered. “It isn’t nonsense!”

He had been peering down at her long enough to know the truth of her words. “Princes and faraway lands sound like nonsense to me!”

Rising, she smacked his shoulder with her writings. “You once did not think so! In fact, you once helped me to write this nonsense!!”

He chuckled at her, taking her hits without recourse. “If you say so, Serena. Although, I have no memory of it.”

Now a bit calmer, she took in his appearance, his black hair, a bit long, was tied at the base of his neck and he wore a suit that did not look like his own. A handsome man on any day, today he looked more fair than usual. “What are you up to?”

Trying to smirk, she saw the nervous twitch in his cheek. “I’m going to ask him today.”

“Today??!!”

“Yes. We have waited long enough don’t you think?”

“But...you have no job and no prospects…”

“You are my prospects!”

She twisted the fabric of her skirts in her fingers, keeping her eyes from him. “I was still hoping to go to University…”

“Serena...you and I both know that is just not in the cards for you. You can’t keep dreaming or you will miss your whole life.”

It was a truth she’d rather not face that Sloan was able to point out to her. A smile grew on her face, unable to hide her joy at the moment. “You really wish to ask for my hand today? Why now?”

“Would you prefer I wait?”

Her head shook hard and fast, “No! In fact, let us haste now!”

The tall grass bent in the breeze and under their feet as they made their way in silence back to her home. Her heart was racing, beating loudly in her chest, that was more than enough to make up for the silence. Before they reached the house, Sloan reached over and took her hand in his for a spell. His soft palm on hers made her breathing labored, knowing that soon he would hold her hand before the Church and the world. The years they had waited would not be in vain, surely, as she neared her 18th year. Not a single proposal had come her way and she knew it was all because she was fated to be with Sloan, the man she had loved all her life.

Ever since he was seven and she six, the two of them had promised to one another that they would someday wed. And as her third cousin, no one could be more suited for her. These were the words of confidence she told herself as she waited in the hall, Sloan inside the office with her father. She did not pace or rock, knowing the answer would be in her favor and feared nothing. Instead, she reflected on the years she had spent with Sloan, the hall she stood in the very one they met in.

Braided pigtails and short dresses, Sloan had found her in the hall and as soon as their eyes met, they knew. The years passed before she saw him again and the memory tried to fade but when he appeared, she knew it was him, running to his arms. She remembered the day as if it were yesterday, him arriving at the house and father greeting him. It was a shock, finding him thinner and his eyes darker than she had remembered, but it had been so long since they last met and he had been through so much. He had never forgotten her and neither had she, the end of their time apart much celebrated by the two of them.

And now they would celebrate again, as husband and wife.

The doors to her father’s study opened and Sloan met her eyes for only a moment before walking away without a word. Even when she called after him, he did not stop until he was gone from the house.

Father stood, looking morose in the doorway at her. “Serena, please come here.” Shutting the door behind her, she watched as father rounded his desk to sit before her. “Your Cousin, Sloan, just asked me for your hand. I assume you know this?” She gave a nod, holding her breath at what he said next. “Then, I must tell you, that I have declined his offer.”

The room was spinning, needing to fill her lungs and ask the burning thoughts in her head great. “Why?!”

“I cannot give you away, Serena, you belong to someone else already.”

“I do not understand Papa. I want to marry Sloan!”

But father shook his head. “I’m sorry my darling child, but this promise was made long ago and will not be broken.”

“Why not? No one asked me if I wanted to marry some...some stranger!”

Standing, father came around and held her shoulders tight. “Have you never wondered why no one came to ask for your hand before? Since you were a child this has been known. The entire town knows of it and so no one dared to challenge such a match.”

“And just who is this man? The man I’ve been forcibly fated to?”

Releasing a sigh at her stubbornness, her father met her glare with his own. “Dr. Darien Shields.”

OoOoO

He released a moan once inside his foyer, the signs of an unwelcomed guest clear before his eyes. There was no preparation for such a visit, best he take a deep breath and push through.

Mrs. Moon greeted him, taking his coat and briefcase from his hands, giving him a cautionary glance before disappearing to deposit the items. He didn’t need the warning, knowing full well what laid ahead of him. What was unclear; where she was and what she wanted.

As usual, his dinner waited for him in the kitchen. Instead of searching her out, he thought it best to allow her to find him. But she was waiting for him with his meal.

“Darien Shields, I gave birth to you and you dare to make me wait and eat alone for you?!”

“Hello, Mother.” He bent down to kiss her cheek, sitting across from her at his warm meal.

“And just where have you been??”

“Work, Mother.”

She was silent, allowing him to get half his dinner in his mouth before revealing her purpose for being there. “Well, now my time is limited since you only now deemed my presence worthy of your attention.”

“Mother, had you given notice, I would have made the proper preparations and been here for your visit.”

“You would have slept at you practice had I done that!” He smirked but hid it as best he could in his plate of food. “I am here to remind you of a certain obligation you have yet to fulfill!”

“No, Mother. Not until she is 18.”

“She turns 18 this year! And you are not getting any younger either my dear boy!”

“She deserves to have as much time with her family as she can get. We will be uprooting her and taking her far from them.”

“A day’s ride by train is hardly a long distance…”

“It is for her. She grew up there, it is all she knows.”

Mother twisted in her seat, “All the more reason to hurry and bring her here! The sooner then the sooner she can get adjusted.”

Sighing ruefully, he dropped his fork loudly to his plate. “What is it you want, Mother?”

“I want you to go and claim your bride! I have waited long enough for this day! I demand we have a date set before I will leave today!”

He was silent, testing her resolve. But he knew his Mother best, she would not let this rest. “Her birthday is the end of June.”

“....Yes?”

“Then the date is July 1st.”

OoOoO

They knocked, but no matter what she said, they would still enter. It had been three months and her Mother and sisters were yet to let up. Neither had father, her having given up on pleading when it was clear the man had no intentions of ending the marriage pact.

Refusing to leave her room for anything more than chores, food, and baths, she laid on her bed and pouted. One on each side with one standing at the foot, the females of the family started in again. Greer sat next to her, running her little fingers through her hair while Kyla held tight to the metal rungs of her bed. The two of them had been looking at her with stars in their eyes ever since her impending marriage was announced. Once she was married, they would be allowed to seek out their own happiness. She was never more jealous of the two of them, their freedom a shadow over her.

Mother sat down as well, across from Greer and sighed loudly. “Dear, it isn’t a death, it is marriage.”

“It is a death to me.”

Greer’s fingers hit a knot but she pulled through it. “Sloan has forsaken you anyway, sister.”

“He is free to do as he pleases. I am the one trapped.”

Mother ripped the pillow she held under her chin out from under her. “Child! Enough of this! Dr. Shields is a fine man. He is high in both the social and financial latter and will take far better care of you than your wayward Cousin! If anything, you have been saved from a life of destitution and should be thankful for your lot in life!”

Sitting up, she glared back at her Mother. “I wanted to marry for love, Mother. Is that so wrong? To want to marry someone I love instead of a stranger?!”

“He is not so strange! You met him. Several times when you were a child. How do you think this arrangement was made? By chance?! Your father and I know the Shields very well. They are fine people, of the highest caliber. It is because of this, no one has ever challenged the match for they knew they could not hold a candle.”

“Sloan challenged!”

“Sloan folded like wet paper once your Father told him of the match. He did not fight for you. If he had truly wanted you and tried, I’m sure your Father would have considered. As is, the boy is too weak and lackluster!”

Her chest hurt, the words her mother spoke having such an effect on her. “He...did not fight?”

“No. Even he knew when he was bested and has moved on already. There is word he is courting a few young ladies in town as we speak!” Stealing her pillow back from Mother, she fell back to her bed and wet the cloth with her tears. “Now, you can move on as he has. Dr. and Mrs. Shields will be here tomorrow to meet and then prepare with us for the wedding. You will be there and dressed appropriately.”

They knew when to leave at least, her now alone to sob.

OoOoO

The home was not as fine as he remembered, age having taken its toll. Its size was still impressive, large foyer he stood in now the example. If memory served, the door he could see on the right was the study, and it was full of books on various subjects. The staircase was before them, to the left of the long, poky hall and at its end was a large opening to the formal living room. Where he suspected they would be ushered to any moment now.

A nervous maid passed a quick courtesy before dashing away. “Certainly a strange household I must say.”

Hushing his Mother, she pouted and he rolled his eyes. Thankful for the disruption, a woman made her way down the stairs, broad smile on her face. “I am SO sorry for the wait!!”

She was hustling down the stairs but keeping her pose. “It is fine.”

Going around him, Mother grabbed onto the women that was to be his Mother-in-Law, the two almost missing the two young girls that bounded down the stairs shortly after. Short dresses and braided pigtails, they reminded him of the girl he met here years ago. His new sisters giggled past, glancing up at him every now and then before racing away with their silliness. Definitely related.

The study opened, the father walking out to find them. “Dr. Shields! Mrs. Shields, so good to see you all again.”

Mother went to his side to greet him. “I agree, Mr. Badar. Far too much time has passed since we last got together.”

“I must say! I barely recognized the good Doctor here!”

Mr. Badar held out a hand that he took easily, “Please, Darien is fine.”

“And you may call me father if it pleases.”

His skin tingled at the familiarity, him releasing Mr. Badar’s hand soon enough but his silence put a cloud over the room. “Forgive my son, he never did learn the art of socializing.”

They all gave a chuckle and he did his best to relax. It was true, he never was very good at these situations. Any social meeting was difficult for him as he found them a waste and bore most of the time.

The thought had him searching out his bride, her appearance still missing. Looking back at the stairs, the noise that escaped his throat had all following his gaze. There she stood, silent and unmoving at the top of the hill. The pale pink of her gown brought out the creamy color of her skin while golden hair spilled in wildly spun curls around her shoulders and back. It looked as if it had been dipped in strawberry juice, the red tents of her hair mixing in with the gold in tandem. The same strawberries had been used on her lips as well, thick and red.

Her decent was slow and he watched every second of it. Her eyes refused to meet his though, keeping her head down as she found the floor. It truly didn’t matter, her beauty already past what he had expected from the child he once knew. But he found himself wanting her to look upon him, to see the bright blue eyes he once held captive.

Pushing gently past the others, he took her hand in his and received a gasp in return. Her eyes made their way up him to his, holding her captive again with one stare. Bending at his waist, he brushed his lips against the back of her hand, earning him another small intake of breath.

“Ms. Badar, it is nice to finally make your acquaintance.”

OoOoO

Standing behind her, Cote worked on her hair, her long locks taking significant time to prepare for her wedding walk. She watched in the mirror, not really seeing.

It had been a week since Dr. Shields and his Mother arrived in town for her and the wedding. Mrs. Shields was truly capricious, a loud woman whom she liked immensely. Her son, however. Other than their first meeting, he had scarcely said two words to her. He continuously allowed his mother to do all the talking for him and barely looked at all interested in any of the conversation.

The last time he spoke was when his mother revealed her doom to her two days ago.

_“London is such a vast and interesting place. Well...you shall see for yourself dear Serena, soon enough.”_

_“Oh? Are we taking Holiday there?”_

_Dr. Shields’ eyes landed on hers for the first time since they met, the shocking dark blue taking her breath away again as it had before. “You are moving there. With me.”_

_Tearing away from his hold, she looked to her parents, her mother the only one brave enough to hold her glare. “Is this true??”_

_“Darien lives in London, dear. His practice is there as well. You didn’t expect him to move in here with us did you?”_

Truth be told, she hadn’t given it any thought. This had always been her home and in her mind, it always would be. When she had plans with Sloan, even then she imagined them moving into her room together to spend out their days. But Sloan had no place of his own and no job to support the purchase of one either. No job and no inheritance and now he was courting many fair ladies in town….

It was wrong to think of another while she wore the dress she was to be married in. Along with her marriage a few hours away now.

Cote had braided and twisted her curls so that a majority of it rested on the top of her head like a crown. Little white flowers threaded intermittently stood out against her rose gold coloring. The long mirror she stood before now showed herself in full; the blushing bride that looked back at her did not hold her usual image. A stranger to her, off to marry another stranger it was hard to find a relation to the reality.

Mother’s image appeared next to her, having come in unnoticed by her. “You look stunning my darling.”

“I look like another.”

Scooping up the hair that remained loose, Mother fluttered it a little, spreading it across her back. “You look like the child I bore grown into a woman.”

“And yet, I feel more like a child playing dress up.”

Mother found her eyes in the glass, a rather grave look on her face. “After today, you will no longer be mine and you will no longer be a child.” Turning her, she faced Mother who now wore a small frown. “Tonight, after the wedding and the reception, you will be leaving with your new husband and he will make you a woman.”

“What do you mean?”

Mother sighed, dropping her head and shaking it. “Perhaps your father and I have been too protective of you and these things.” Her confused look only seemed to trouble Mother more. “There are expectations for a wife, even a new one, that you must fulfill upon your husband’s asking.”

“What is he going to ask of me, Mother?”

“He will ask you to lay with him. Share a marriage bed and consummate the binding you will be making soon. You must consummate my dear or your marriage will be unstable.”

“What is consummating? And why will it be unstable if not done?”

Mother squeezed her hands in hers and tried to look her in the eyes. “You will soon be another’s so I will just say it. Consummating is sex dear. It is where your husband puts a piece of himself in you. For a few moments, the two of you are one. It must be done at least once or the marriage is not complete and then again if you want children. It must be done many times just for one child.”

“Does it...hurt?”

“Yes. But it doesn’t last. Men are quick about it.”

“And….you and father?”

“Once on our wedding night and a few more times for you and your sisters.”

She wanted lots of children. Meaning, she would have to let Dr. Shields put a piece of himself inside her many times. Starting with tonight.

OoOoO

The church was stuffy, filled with far more people than he would like. But his mother and mother-in-law had been in charge of all.

The kilt he wore bore the clan of his family, generations ago the Kemp clan wore this Tartar as they roamed and ruled large portions of Scotland. Now, its colors served to make him feel a fool as he stood up before only a few familiar faces. But Mother insisted.

Trying not to fidget, he waited like the others for his bride to appear at the end of the aisle. If she showed. He would not hold it against her to run, after having met him and seeing what he was like after so many years. She, a youthful beauty that wore her heart on her sleeve for all to see was a far more precious and blessed creature than he. It was clear she had no memories of him. He thought, if this were the case, that he would be able to let her go. But even now it was a struggle. As it were, if they had called off the wedding, it would have scandalized her beyond repair. And he couldn’t do that to her.

White and gold, a fluttering in his heart, she appeared and took her father’s arm. The aisle felt as if it stretched on for eternity as he waited for her to be handed over to him. The veil that covered her face still allowed him to meet her piercing and bright blue eyes. He had to turn away, focus on the hand her father offered him, or the feeling he did not have a grasp on would run away with him.

Soft and warm, her hand pressed into his as he led her the rest of the way to the dais. None of it seemed real, this angel soon to be his or the ceremony to seal their fates together. His mother had been right, he waited far too long to do this. But he had made a promise and he kept it, whether she remembered it or not, he held no guilt from it.

It all went terribly slow and yet when it came time to speak their words, it felt rushed. Watching her out of the corner of his eye, he almost missed his turn to say ‘I do’, causing a small stir from those behind. Ignoring them, he returned his stare to his bride, the flush on her cheeks hard to miss as she said her vows.

He took her hand again, warmth flooding him from the simple touch, and slid the small, metal band on her finger. The gold that was twisted and shaped to look like the Celtic love knot stood out on her pale skin greatly. A plain gold band was placed on his hand by her, the two now introduced as husband and wife to all those who cared.

OoOoO

The reception was small, half the size the wedding had been. But they could scarcely fit the whole town in their house like they had the church.

Spiced wine was passed, her allotted one glass, it being passed to her by her new husband. Even then, he didn’t meet her eyes. The entire ceremony, he barely glanced her way. And then had the audacity to hesitate on his vows. Was she not the one being forced into this union? Why was he acting as the one jilted?

It was true, he was a fine man, tall and broad with dark locks that, until today, had fallen messily over his brow. Every lady they had passed since his arrival nearly fell at his feet for his beauty alone. No matter how pretty the girl though, he remained cool and silent. This seemed to bother no one but her, her cousins giggling as they passed while stealing glances at her husband. Husband. What a lark. For so long she believed marriage was built on love, that to approach the Lord with any other reasoning was blasphemous. It was her grave folly to believe such a lie.

Twinkling filled the air, the guest lifting their glasses for them and gently touching them together for a blessing. Taking her sip, she was gently pulled closer to his side, an arm snaking around her waist. Lowering her glass and lifting her chin to look, she found his lips on hers.

Her heart thumped in a strange rhythm, his lips caressing hers with the most sincere gentleness, it was hard to believe it was the same man taking her first embrace now. When he pulled away, her eyes took a few heartbeats to open, blinking him into her vision. The hot grapes of his mouth lingered on hers, even with them now inches apart as did his arm around her waist.

“Its tradition.”

Blinking a few more times, she realized he was speaking and speaking to her. Dark blue eyes danced around her face a moment longer before he released her completely, the tradition held in his book and therefore, moving on. His attention never on her, she touched a finger to her lips, the lingering burn of his felt on the pads of her tips. Her first...her only kiss. What was she to know if it was what it seemed….magic.

OoOoO

The reception was nearing its end and they would soon be free to leave. Never the one to be comfortable in the company of a small handful of people, he was struggling with the sheer onslaught of affections and ‘best wishes’ the masses placed upon him.

Serena stood by his side, so at least he had that for him. He would be content just having her near, able to glance at her from the corner of his eye all night. Taking a large breath, her chest swelled while she twisted her fingers together in front of her belly. Looking away, he found the source of her discomfort in the form of a man. Now standing before the two of them, the stranger shot a grimace between the two of them.

“Sloan…”

It sounded as if Serena struggled to say his name, let alone look at the man. Following protocol, he held out his hand to this Sloan, making him one more of the hundred hands he had shaken that day. But the man refused to take it, pushing past him and going straight for his wife.

He took her hand instead, the one she never offered and pressed it to his lips. “Best wishes, Serena. I wish you happiness.”

Swallowing his growl, he let the man have his moment with his bride, knowing he would never get another. When Sloan stepped back, he had the audacity to square his shoulders at him, challenging him. He didn’t take the offer, as he had already won. Serena wore his ring on her finger and there was nothing this scruff of a man could do about it now.

He soon disappeared into the crowd and Serena’s voice followed, light and small. “I'm sorry. That was my Cousin, Sloan.”

She left it at that and he wanted to press, but she was upset enough as it was by his appearance. He did not want to upset her any further. Whatever that man was to her, Sloan was selfish, coming here only to shake her. Soon, she would never have to worry about such a person again as they would be far away in the safety of his home.

He would make it his mission to never have her make the face she wore now again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lovingly betaed and edited by Beej88 and DarkenedHrt101, here is chapter two of Arranged Love. I hope you are all enjoying it so far. If you want me to update faster, just let me know. I don't really like waiting a week to update. Really it's just when I remember. Anyway, please read and review or kudo!!! Or just read, it's all good.

Chapter 2

Mother had lied, the consummation of the marriage was not what she had made it out to be. Mother had made it seem vital to the marriage yet, Dr. Shields made no attempts to so much as ask her to lay with him. In fact, he returned to his hotel with his mother and left her to spend the last night with her family. She was finding it hard to find fault with that, a kind gesture made by him for sure.

Morning came and soon she was saying goodbye. Tearful were all, Mother, Father, Greer, Kyla, and all the house workers. Dr. Shields stood close behind, waiting for her in the doorway, his Mother waiting in the carriage just outside. Hugging all as tight as she could, they released her into his care for as long as she lived.

Her luggage in his hands, Dr. Shields walked next to her, leaning in just before they reached his mother in the carriage. “I hope...one day..you can forgive me for taking you away.”

She looked up to him, but his attention was already elsewhere, handing off her luggage while the coachman helped her to her seat. Mother Shields grabbed her up instantly, pulling her close to her to sit while her son sat across from them. An action she would repeat when they made it to the train.

Rocking softly, Mother Shields continued to carry the conversation for her son, just as she had the entire time she had known the two of them.

“Oh, my dear Serena. How lovely it will be to have such a young and beautiful lady amongst my weekly teas now.”

“Weekly teas?”

“Oh, yes! You must come, the ladies have been dying to meet you.”

“Mother.”

Dr. Shields scolded the woman, his eyes dancing to her a few times before focusing on his Mother. “They have been hearing of this girl for years now! It is only right that they get to see the legend.”

“I’m a legend?”

Dr. Shields sighed and turned his attention back to the world racing past the window. She returned her attention back to Mother Shields who looked ready to burst. “Of course you are! Not to brag but my son is quite the catch, especially in London. For years there have been questions about his marital status. I cannot tell you the number of hearts I had to break telling them he was betrothed to another…”

“Mother.” Dr. Shields’ tone edged on anger, glaring at his Mother and showing all his distaste at the conversation.

“Calm yourself, dearest. She is well aware of the trials of young love I’m sure. I would not be surprised if she turned away twice as many as you during her years!”

“Actually, only one person asked for my hand.”

Suddenly she had all the attention, even Dr. Shields looking and listening. She wasn’t sure how much she should share with the two, but he was her husband and her Mother now. Honesty had always been her stronghold.

“You met him at the reception. My Cousin Sloan.”

Dr, Shields’ brows had been knit together in confusion but soon relaxed apart. A nod and he returned to his watch of the world outside. Mother was far more interested it seemed.

“Oh, the poor dear. I believe I remember him at the wedding as well. Sad creature really. I find it hard to believe he was the only offer. A beauty such as yourself?”

She offered the woman a small smile of gratitude. At least she found her pretty. “Papa told me that no one asked because all knew of my engagement. All but me it seems.”

Mother gasped, “You didn’t know?”

“Only since this past March.”

“This union has been planned since you were children! I cannot believe Badar was so neglectful.”

She shrugged, maintaining her smile. “I think it was more protection than neglect. My Papa has always been extra cautious of me. I was never allowed into town alone and all my schooling was done at home.”

“You had a proper education?”

“I found it suitable.”

“Of course you would.” She snapped her attention to the dark man brooding across from them, his eyes not on the two of them as he spoke. “What have you to compare it to?”

Sitting up a little straighter, she continued to challenge the man in question. “I can read and write. My skills in arithmetic are low but I hold a great interest in the sciences.”

“Is that so.” Mother added, showing the interest her son lacked yet again.

“Yes, and I enjoy writing.”

“What do you write exactly?” The conversation had returned between the women it seemed.

“Just...silly little stories. I put them all in here…”

“The women’s college is a short walk from our home. You can attend as many classes as you like there...should you desire…” 

He still didn’t look at her as he spoke, making it seem as though he weren’t actually talking to her. It made no difference, his offer far more than she could ever expect from him or anyone. “Is that an offer in earnest? You would allow me to attend University?”

Now he looked lazily at her, his head resting on his palm as it was propped against the window. “Is that so strange? To want the best for my wife?”

Her heart fluttered when he called her such, taking her a moment to recover. “No...I suppose not.”

She continued to look at him even as he turned away from her, “If you are so interested in the sciences, perhaps you can study to be a nurse and come work at my practice.”

It was strange, her heart beating wildly as he spoke of her future as if it were open to interpretation. Her understanding had always been that she was to marry and bear children, nothing more, nothing less. That was what Sloan had led her to believe. Now, here was her new husband, talking as if things were not as finite as she expected.

“Or...maybe Literature is more to your taste?” 

He was looking at her again, gaging her reaction while she tried to vain to get her heart to stop racing and her hands to stop shaking. “Could I...could I try both?”

He chuckled and turned away, “Whatever you wish.”

OoOoO

Mother followed them into the house, both of them allowing Serena to go in first. He had never really taken much stock in his home, it was close to his practice, Parliament and Big Ben, and a nice park next to them. Compared to the home Serena left, it was on the grand size. Wondering in ahead, he watched her take in each room with her eyes wide and her mouth parted. 

Her fingers traced a few trinkets here and there that Mother had brought and left, the house decorated by her mostly. Now standing in the middle of the formal living room, Serena stood out almost painfully against the dark couches and cherry woods.

One of the maids had the fire going, even on such a warm night, but it cast strange shadows around the room. Ones he had never noticed before but with the bouncing light that was his young wife, it was impossible to ignore now.

“This is your house now so you can make it as you please.”

Her eyes snapped to him, golden tresses slapping her face from her fast given attention. “Make it as I please?”

“Yes.”

“But...this is your house?”

“And as my wife, it is yours as well.”

He couldn’t understand the confused look on her face. What did she expect of him? To force her into a home and then to adjust to his style? No, he would much rather have her touch all over this house. He wanted it to breathe her out of every corner.

She was heading for the kitchen and he left to help get the bags upstairs. Mrs. Moon was waiting at the top of the stairs, looking just as starry eyed as Mother had at the sight of Serena. “Is that the new Mistress?”

“It is. Will you go and introduce yourself? She is probably lost by now.”

Luggage upstairs, he disappeared in his study before anyone the wiser. It wasn’t long until a soft knock came to the door and light entered with her. Standing just inside the door, she waited for his permission to go any further.

“You can come in, Serena.”

She was slow and careful, keeping her distance as she stood in the middle of the dark room. “Dr. Shields…”

“Darien…”

She fumbled a bit, her fingers twisting in front of her belly and the rise and fall of her breast told him she was nervous. Her eyes to the floor, he drunk her in, unseen by her. “It is late and I am tired.”

“Oh...my room is the last one on the left. You may have your pick of the others.”

“I...I don’t understand?”

“Your room? You were wondering which one it was, were you not?”

Her brows furrowed in confusion again. It would seem he confounded her a lot. “Do we...not share a room?”

The blood rushed to her cheeks with the question while her hands shook slightly in her hold. “Serena….you and I….you don’t know me and I know little of you. I dare not expect you to share my bed so suddenly.” Her emotions out for all to see, he watched as she mixed them, relief and disappointment rolling around on her face. He tried to not let either affect him but it was a struggle. “I suggest the room next to mine. It is just as large and it shares a view of the gardens.”

Still struggling, she gave a nod and left him to his loneliness in silence.

OoOoO

It had been a long night. The strange sounds from outside her window frightened her and her tears aided in keeping her awake as well. She grew up in a room of her own but this was not her room and it was not her home. To her added disappointment, Mother left the next morning, her house a few streets over, she promised to visit often.

The home wasn’t much larger than her childhood one. Yet, it had twice as many maids working around the clock to keep it in shape. At least she wasn’t completely alone, but they kept moving so it was hard to have a conversation with any of them. Mrs. Moon was in charge and the only one who lived in the house, the others arrived early and left late, but all had homes of their own to go to at the end of the day. 

Mrs. Moon appeared tray in hands, finding her in the garden melting the day way. “Tea time.”

The tray held a small pot and two cups with a dainty, pink rose print on them. Three tiers held scones and finger sandwiches. She took a cucumber one and a blueberry scone, slathering the latter with butter.

Mrs. Moon sat to her delight and poured them both a steaming cup of cinnamon scented tea. “Do you take milk in your tea?”

She nodded, “And sugar.”

The elder chortled, “Of course.” She must have worn her offense on her face because Mrs. Moon was quick to address it. “Forgive me, dear, I only mean...well the differences between you and Dr. Shields is vast. I find it entertaining.”

“Entertaining?”

Busy making her cup, Mrs. Moon mused down at the porcelain. “Oh yes, the differences are already coming to light in the most fascinating manner.”

“The differences between us?”

Handing her the cup, Mrs. Moon smiled broadly. “No, dear, the differences in the man.”

“You speak of Dr. Shields?”

She chuckled at her proper title for her husband, clucking and shaking her head at her. Black curls with streaks of grey bounced against her head as she scolded her. “Dr. Shields is your husband, Darien is a more appropriate title.”

She sat back hard in the metal chair, the lattice design digging into her back. “I will not pretend to be so familiar with the man.” Turning her attention back to her new friend, she quickly sat up and whispered. “It is normal for husband and wife to keep separate chambers?”

Mrs. Moon huffed, “Most do. But not usually so early in the marriage.”

“What of you and Mr. Moon? Do you sleep separately or does he live and work here as well?”

A sad smile pulled at her lips, “Mr. Moon passed many years ago my child.”

“Oh, I am so sorry.”

She was waved off, Mrs. Moon leaning in to whisper back to her. “You are missing a very important message, Serena. Dr. Shields gave you your own room because he thought it would make you the most comfortable. Few can say a husband was ever so considerate to his wife’s needs as that.”

It was true, given her state and frame of mind she was thankful to be away from her new husband, though it was her first night alone in a strange new place. The added pressure of performing her wifely duties would have put more of a strain on her than she cared to think about. She still didn’t know what to expect with the consummation of her marriage. It left her to wonder for how long she would continue to receive such a reprieve?

It was fair to assume it would end once she got to know her husband better, but the man was never home for her to learn of. Every meal was spent eating alone save for tea time in the garden with Mrs. Moon. Dr. Shields usually arrived just as she was making her way to bed, catching her on the staircase most nights. Tonight, she was determined to wait up for him, having a few things she’d like to discuss. 

She waited in the informal living room, the dark shades of the room blending into the night. But it was the least menacing room in the whole house.

Book in her lap, she did her best to focus on the words and stay awake. But it all continued to blur no matter how hard she tried. Her last thoughts were of her thinking a cup of coffee might help before her eyes slid closed for good.

OoOoO

On her side, her face towards the door, he found his small wife asleep and blissfully unaware. The hem of her skirt had hiked up in her sleep and now exposed pale, thin legs. Her arm draped over her ribs pressed her breast up and out of her neckline, nearly exposing them for any who passed to see. He would need to have a word with the male staff about being wary of her at night.

Mrs. Moon had been the one to direct him to her, telling him Serena was waiting to speak with him. However, he had stayed late and now she was done for the night. Leaving him to carry her to bed.

Sneaking his hands under her, he lifted her by the crook of her knees and ribs around her back. One hand fell to his chest along with her head, her cheek resting against his arm. He tried to keep his sights on where he was going but they kept slipping back to her slack face, lips slightly parted and plump. He could still recall the feeling of them, soft pillows that warmed him down to his spin even with the slightest of touch. A touch he had not had the pleasure of since their wedding day.

Laying her on the bed was easy enough, her standing out on the white sheets. Now he faced a larger delima. He could not allow her to sleep all night so tightly bound in her clothes. It was not healthy. Even with that rationale, he struggled to feel anything less than a heathen, taking advantage of the sleeping angel. She was his wife, though, there was nothing scandalous with him loosening her corset.

As carefully as possible; to both not wake her but also not touch her unnecessarily, he pulled the hem of her skirt up to reach the laces of her corset and quickly untied them. Pulling them loose proved to be difficult, what with him trying to keep from yanking her hard and waking her and his lack of experience undoing a woman’s laces.

Soon, he had a small amount of wiggle room between the strings and felt relief when she released a sigh of comfort.

OoOoO

The surprises that morning would never cease; first waking to find herself in her bed, then not being in pain from sleeping in her corset, and now Dr. Shields waited for her at the breakfast table.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, Dr. Shields.”

He frowned at the name but said nothing on it. “I understand you wanted to speak with me?”

Straightening, she wiped whatever shock remained on her face from his appearance. “Yes, it is about redecorating the house…”

“Just tell Mrs. Moon what you would like and they will take care of it…”

“No! I want to do the shopping myself!”

Surprise number four and the day was young, him smirking at her. “Is that so? If that is what you wish.”

She had prepared a whole speech to win her case, it written in her little book she currently clutched in her hands. “Why is it so easy?”

His head cocked to the side, for once not taking his attention from her and she found it was making her heart race. “Would you prefer I make it difficult?”

“I...suppose not…”

Rising, his chair scuffing along the floor. “Mrs. Moon has a prior engagement today and Mother...cannot be trusted with such a task…”

“I can go alone.”

Standing before her, he loomed over her and she forced herself not to break eye contact. “If you wish. The coachman can take you to a few places that know me. Tell them who you are and they will send the bill here.”

“A few places?”

He smirked again, something that was becoming a common occurrence. “Yes, well, I fear any wallpapering or paints should wait till you have furniture selected and more help.” Then his eyes lowered, looking her over before snapping back to her. “You can...get something for yourself too...if you want.”

Now she felt embarrassed, her poor country dress was woefully out of style, as were all her dresses she was sure. She would need to put on her best dress before going to town and even then she would still look out of place.

She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks and neck the longer they stood there in silence until his light chuckle broke the air. “If it embarrasses you so, then feel free to fix it.”

Walking past her, she bit back the urge to kick his perfectly shaped backside as he passed. Here she was, in a new place and far from home for the first time and he thought it humorous that she struggled to blend in.

OoOoO

He made it home early for once, wanting to give Serena the opportunity to tell and show him her purchases. His hopes were high, but he hoped her excitable energy would allow her to forget their differences if even for a short moment.

But the house was quiet and the dining room empty. Finding Mrs. Moon in the kitchen, aiding in putting away a now cold meal, fear crept up his spine. “Where is Serena?!”

Mrs. Moon felt his fear and quickly cooled it. “Do not fret so, she is up in her room. Although, the poor thing refused to come down for dinner. I dare say shopping did not go as she hoped.”

Leaving a guilty Mrs. Moon, he took the stairs three at a time and stopped just outside her door. The faint sound of whimpers could be heard just inside. Losing himself, he didn’t knock, going right in without thought. She laid on her bed, facing away from the door and staring out the windows. His reflection in them alerted her to his presence and she curled into herself all the more.

With hastful care, he came to her side, crouching before and causing her to hide her face in the pillow. “Did you not find anything you liked?” Her head shook against the pillow, an unspoken ‘no’ her answer. “Did you trip?” Her head shook again. “Spend too much?”

At that, her head popped up and she glared back at him. “I think you know very well what happened. You would not be in here mocking me if you did not.”

“No one is mocking you, Serena.”

“You did! This morning. And then all the shop keepers this afternoon.”

“What happened?”

She flipped on her bed, turning her body from him and facing the door instead. “They all took one look at me and laughed. And when I spoke, they heard my accent and looked at me with disgust before completely ignoring me.”

It was moments like these that he had been dreading, never knowing what to say or do. “I’m sorry.”

“You knew it would happen did you not?”

“Why on Earth would I know such a thing?”

She flipped suddenly, glaring at him with all the malice he imagined she had in her body. “Did you not do the same thing? Comment on my poor dress before laughing and leaving me to the lions? And you readily let me go, all alone like it was nothing. My own father never did such things and now I know why! He was saving me from the cruelty of people like you.” She turned from him again, him too flabbergasted to say or do anything. “I miss my home. My family. I’m all alone here and my own husband doesn’t want to spend time with me.”

It wasn’t true, he wanted her here, more than anything. But that was not what she needed to hear now, it wouldn’t be heard even if he said it. Her whimpers turned to sobs and he remained next to her until she fell asleep, hiccuping in between her soft snores.

Pulling the door behind him closed, Mrs. Moon was waiting for him in the hall. “I want to know all the places she went to today, have Jerrold ready to take us back tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow, Doctor?”

“Yes, I will be taking the morning off.”

The smirk she wore confounded him so he ignored it, knowing it was another one of those things he was not meant to understand.

OoOoO

Her eyes were sore when she woke. Fearful of the glass and what horrors awaited with her reflection in it, she made straight for the breakfast table but found it occupied.

Paper in his hands, his upper body was hidden, but who else could it be. “Dr. Shields?” He released a ‘humph’, another not so subtle response to her name for him, but did not lower his guard. “Why are you here?”

“I live here.”

“You do?”

The paper fell quickly, her smirk on display for him. The grin he wore in response fell quickly at the sight of her, having forgotten for a moment her state. “You should put a cold compress on your eyes.” She started to pout but he stopped her. “That was not to mock you, it was out of concern. Do your eyes hurt?”

She nodded but looked to the floor as his caring gaze was threatening to have her tears again. She heard his approach, but he still had to lift her face to his, a finger under her chin to gently guide it up. He pressed a finger to the skin around her eye with his free hand, holding her still with the one that remained on her chin.

“A fair skinned woman should know what to expect, crying all night like that.”

Her eyes roamed his face, even as he jested at her expense, she only found care in it. It was so different from the night before when he said little to quell her homesickness. He did not deny his lack of desire to have her there either. This was what he was like as a doctor, kind and considerate.

“Why are you not at work?”

Releasing his hold on her, he stood up straight and took a step back. “We are going shopping today.” Her lack of enthusiasm was not missed by him, walking her over to the table so she didn’t escape. “Eat and get dressed.”

She felt faint, the very first place Dr. Shields took her to was the same one she had visited yesterday. Only making it to two, this one had been vicious enough but her naive ways thought it was them and not her. Dragging her feet, the same woman that had deemed her unworthy of her attention was gushing over her husband as soon as he walked into sight.

“Dr. Shields! What brings you back to our humble store? The fabrics your Mother picked were absolutely…”

“Actually, I am here today with my wife. I believe you already met her?”

The woman glanced at her and ignored her again, looking around behind her. “Where is she?”

Dr. Shields looked back at her, noting her distance and quickly grabbed her hand to pull her next to him. “This creature right here.”

The blood drained from the woman’s face as recognition led to realization. Now the woman was doing all she could to make amends. “Please forgive me. We get so much riff raff off the streets these days. So many foreigners roam the city now it is difficult to know for sure who anyone is…”

“Foreigners, you say? Like me?” Now the woman looked confused as did she at Dr. Shields admission. “She hails from my father’s birthplace. Where I spent a portion of my life until attending school here and moving my life to London. Am I also...riff raff as you put it?”

“No, Doctor, no! I just meant there is a lot more crime in the area now…”

“I can assure you my wife has nothing to do with that. Same as me.”

She was trying not to laugh, for it really was too cruel how Dr. Shields was flustering the woman. Looking up from her reddening face to his, she found nothing but an icy cold glare. The only one finding the moment humerus was her.

Carefully she took hold of her husband’s arm and pulled gently, gaining his attention. His face softened immediately as he looked down at her. “It’s alright. You have proven your point.”

He placed a hand on hers, pulling her arm through his to rest. “My wife is far more kind than I. For her sake alone I will forgive these offenses but I will not be bringing my business here again. Nor will my mother or her many friends.”

The woman looked as steady as a puddle on the floor but Dr. Shields pulled her away by the arm he now held in his. Once back on the street, she left her arm in his hold, allowing him to escort her around. She stopped him when he tried to take them into the second store she had ventured into just the day before.

“Please, stop. You’ve proven your point.”

“To Clausens but not Husen’s.”

“You’ve proven it to me. Was that not your goal from the start?”

His eyes left her, returning to the street before them before pulling them past the store. They walked slowly, a nice stroll through the town. She was enjoying it, not having been out in the city much or in pleasant company. Whether Dr. Shields was truly pleasant company or not, she was not yet sure. But for the moment, she was enjoying being at his side.

It did not last, him pulling them into another store, one she had never seen but there were many like that. Pulling her around, he faced her towards a wall covered in fabrics. She removed herself from his hold and walked along it, touching certain ones that she found particularly interesting. There were so many colors and textures, it was a little overwhelming. She had just settled on a cream color when a stranger appeared at her side. 

“Can I help you miss?”

The hand she had out to touch fabrics retracted hastily, pulling it back to her chest with the other. “I...I’m redecorating…”

“Oh? Newly wedded?” She nodded and the man smiled. “How lovely. And who is the lucky man?”

“I am.” Dr. Shields appeared on her other side, going around to shake the man’s hand and stand between them.

Her attention went back to the fabrics, the two men talking about a multitude of things. Soon enough, she had five swatches in her hands and handed them over. Her husband looked them over as she carefully explained her intentions, the salesman leaving soon after she finished to write up the order.

Dr. Shields had the swatches in his hands now, looking them over. “Did you pick these because you liked them or because of their low cost?”

Taking them from him, her fingers grazing his as she did, she looked them over again. “Both!”

“Keep this up and the funds I put aside for your remodel will barely be touched.”

She ignored the fact that he had planned for her to change his house around and focused on his comments on her tastes. “If you dislike it then…”

“Those words never left my mouth.”

Why was it, with his mention of his mouth, she could not stop herself from glancing at his? She felt warm all over, the sudden memory of the kiss he had given her at their wedding flashing in her mind against her will. Turning quickly, she started returning the swatches from where they came. 

“They will do that for you.”

“I know this! But I am idle as it is and able.”

She was mournful when they returned after that, the carriage slowing to let her out but the good doctor didn’t move. “Are you not coming?”

“I cannot. I must be off to the practice now.”

“Oh…” She didn’t bother to hide her disappointment even as it was one-sided.

“I will be home this evening. Tomorrow I have arranged for a friend of mine’s wife to take you shopping for yourself.”

“Dress shopping? You will not take me?”

He smirked, leaning against the other side of the carriage from her and her heart raced wildly. “Afraid not. I would be no use to you.”

“My husband could at least tell me what he likes so that I might please him.”

His smile fell and his eyes widened at her words. It was not something she considered shocking, was it strange to want to please him?

“You needn't worry about such things.”

Her racing heart stopped painfully and she managed to hold back any tears that threatened while in his presence. Returning to an empty home for yet another lonely evening.

OoOoO

Mina was still in his house when he returned from his day of work. The wife of his partner at the practice, she was the only female he knew would be able and willing to help Serena. Although he hesitated, fearing Mina a bad influence. He second-guessed this, finding the two in high spirits in the formal living room. With Mina talking ill of the decor, it had Serena opening up more about what she did and did not like in the house.

“It’s all so dark, I keep fearing a demon popping out of the shadows to steal my soul.”

Mina chortled, picking up a glass bird his mother had left. “It is most certainly meant for a bachelor. What plans do you have for it?”

“So far? I only have fabrics picked. They are coming tomorrow to measure and fit the existing furniture.”

“I would have tossed all of this out and started fresh!”

“No! I couldn’t do that!!”

Mina flopped next to his wife on the couch she occupied. “Why not? Your husband can afford it, believe me.”

“It’s not about that. Well, it is a little of that. I find it a waste and that bothers me to no end.”

“Then what is the real reason?”

Serena’s swept the place, looking over each article in the room, not really looking at one thing or the other. “This is his home. My husband’s home in which he has lived for….I really don’t know how long actually but nevertheless, it is his. These things tell a story of who he is.”

“Yes, and it reads, ‘my Mother did all the decorating’.”

They both laughed and Serena gently pushed her new friend to the side. “It still is a piece of him. Shouldn’t a shared place reflect all those who live in it?”

Mina stopped, looking as though she was honestly thinking it over. “No. Just me. My husband has terrible taste!”

Laughing again, he revealed himself to them. “I’ll make sure to tell Andrew that.”

 

Serena stiffened at his presence while Mina remained calm and loose. “Oh, I tell him all the time Darien Darling.”

Her eyes still on him, he looked to Serena, “Good evening, Wife.”

It looked as if she shivered at the name, but either he imagined it or she recovered quickly. “You are home early.”

“I suppose my husband is now wondering where I am.” Mina stood as did Serena, the two hugging one another tight. “Fair Serena, we must do this again and soon.”

 

Walking Mina to and out the door, she turned to him. The silence between them was palpable and he was sure she was waiting for him to say something. But what he wasn’t sure as she swiftly went around him and up the stairs.

Planning to retreat to his office, he was foiled, a livid Mrs. Moon glaring at him at the end of the hall. “Dr. Shields, may I have a moment of your time?”

Knowing she would only follow, he held the door to his office open for her. Barely getting the door shut again before she laid into him. “Doctor, I am very concerned about the situation here.”

“You mean the house? Serena picked out some lovely fabrics yesterday…”

“Not that! Your wife!!”

“What about her?”

Mrs. Moon sighed ruefully, pacing before him. “She is home alone all day waiting for a husband that barely notices her existence.”

“I notice her far more than that!!!”

“Yes, but she does not know this!!” She stopped, turning to face him and her face softened. “Darien, we have been together almost all your life and I know you better than most. But Serena, she does not. What I see and know as kind admiration, she sees as duty and doctorly manners.”

“And just what do you suggest I do to fix that?”

She pinched the bridge of her nose, “You could spend more time with her as a start.” Releasing her face, she looked at him with all seriousness in her face. “You two have yet to consummate have you not?”

“Mrs. Moon…”

“I am not pressing! Just remember how fragile your marriage still is! Without consummation there is annulment.”

“Serena would never ask for such a thing…”

“If she feared you didn’t care for her or loved another she might!”

“Fine, alright, I see your point. I will….come home for lunch the next opportunity I get. Satisfied?”

“For now.”

OoOoO

The sun was on full display, warming her skin as soon as she stepped out into it. Wearing one of the dresses Mina helped her pick out, she was hoping to get used to the new style. Lacking any petticoats, she felt almost nude. But in the warm London sun, it felt much more comfortable than the frocks she had worn from home. Hamilton was far from small town but it still remained months behind the bustle of London’s ever-changing style.

Informing Mrs. Moon that she would like lunch in the garden, she set about spending her day there when she found herself not alone. He was young, probably the age of her husband, and had a kind smile.

“Hello. I hope I did not frighten you.”

“Oh, no...well...yes a little. Who are you?”

He chuckled, raising his hat off his head to bow slightly at her. “Name’s Harrison but everyone calls me Harry. I’m the gardener.”

She did an equally small curtsy, “Serena B...Shields.”

“Ah, the new Misses. Nice to meet you.”

“And you. Have you worked here long? I have not seen you here before.”

“Nor I you, but that is the nature of the beast. I only really come around in season and you wouldn’t venture out here on the odd days I have been here before.”

“I see. Is it alright if I stay? I had hoped to spend the day here in the garden.”

“As long as you don’t mind me being here as well? I promise not to be too noisy.”

“It would be fine if you were!”

They both laughed politely when suddenly, Harry stiffened and turned away, quickly going to work. Confused, she turned to see what he saw when she was grabbed hard by the arm and nearly dragged back inside. Propped against the first wall inside, the shade of the house blinding her for a moment, her vision cleared to angry eyes. Dark like a storm, his blue stare pierced her, making her shiver.

“Dr. Shields, what are you doing home.”

“I came to visit my wife but found her visiting the gardener instead!”

Regaining herself, she crossed protective arms over her chest. “There is no harm in it is there? As you say, I am your wife. You dare accuse me of any wrongdoing?”

His attention was elsewhere, not sure he even heard her question. “What are you wearing?”

Only realizing then just what crossing her arms did to the neckline of her dress, she quickly released herself. “A dress! One Mina picked out for me.”

“That is not a dress. Not one you should be wearing in public!”

“I like it!”

“It is inappropriate. I knew Mina would be a bad influence.”

“And I like Mina!!”

“You are far too naive to be left with someone of her mindset.”

She stomped her foot as hard as she could, not caring if she looked like a child. “I asked you, what you would like. You made it clear that it mattered not to you what I wore. So besides from a brown sack, this is what I chose to wear. If you do not care for it, then perhaps you should do all my dress shopping for me!!”

Her voice carried across the house and into the yard she was sure. Dr. Shields remained over her, an arm on either side of her head against the wall he had pressed her against. He was still grimacing when he pulled away, releasing her and leaving her behind.

“This is why I never wanted to get married. Women are far too frivolous a creature to ever understand!!”

Now his voice carried, ringing in her ears long after he shut the front door behind his leave.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I was asked so nicely, here is another chapter for today!! Hope you all enjoy!!!

It had been a week, a week and Serena had yet to say a word to him. She made sure to not be in his sights too, waiting, no doubt, until he was gone before leaving her room.

How was he supposed to apologize if she refused to even look at him?

He had been out of line, so far out of line that he did not know who that man was that yelled at the poor girl all those days ago. He had come home to spend lunch with her and found her outside in the garden. The blooming flowers paled in comparison, her long hair wild as it curled freely down her back. He could just make out the mint green of her thin dress when he heard her laugh. It was beautiful and he wanted to hear more until he realized she was sharing it with their gardener. He had hired the man against best judgment, the rumors of his firing from his last job involved the young daughter of his master and Harrison being found in bed together. He thought nothing of it at the time, having no one for the rake to take advantage of. But now his gorgeous young wife was talking freely with the man and he saw red.

No crime had been committed, he had not a leg to stand on but he fired Harrison regardless. The damage to his marriage left things as uncertain as Harrison next means of employment.

He left his room dark, planning on going straight to bed and therefore was in no need for a light. It was pitch, thick dark clouds covering the moon and stars with their inky black promise of rain. Taking off his shoes, sitting on the bed, his room lit up like the flash of a photograph. Moments passed before the boom of thunder shook his windows, a scream breaking through the middle of it.

Slipping around on his sock covered feet, he burst into Serena’s room. A quick search found her alone, curled up tight in her bed. Coming to her side, he opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong when another flash of lightning brought its thunder with it. Serena screamed again, quaking under her sheet.

Sitting on the side, he peeled back the covers, finding her very pale. It was the first he had seen her in a week, even with her pale and shaking, he found himself tripping with glee when she didn’t pull away from him.

“Are you afraid of thunder?”

She shot him a glare but he couldn’t resist the chuckle, to giddy from being so near. “No!...I’m afraid of lightning, it is what kills.”

“Very rarely does a person get struck by it.”

“But it does happen??!!”

She was jumping up, sitting before him now. The sheet slipped from her, revealing her gossamer nightgown that hid little from the imagination. His eyes took her in and he found he lacked no shame in the action, when he really should have. 

“Not often enough for you to fear it.”

She calmed, laying back down and covering herself again; much to both his relief and grief. Rising to leave, he found himself stuck as she reached up and grabbed his hand, holding it tight. “Would you….”

Looking down at her, light flashed again, revealing the deep crimson on her face. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

The words had a strange reaction, her releasing him and recoiling at the same time. Ignoring it, he rounded the bed and laid on top of her sheets next to her. “I don’t want to….you have work in the morning, I would hate for you to…”

“Your bed is the same as mine, Serena. You are not inconveniencing me with my clothes for tomorrow so close. Just go to sleep.”

Growing still, the last legs of the storm flashing in the room and sounding out distant hollow booms, he resigned himself to sleeping in his clothes. He knew her fear was genuine, but had no clue as to what it was founded in. Either way, it took a thunderstorm to get her to speak to him again. 

Her soft snores now filled the air, the night settling down again to a soft breeze and gentle rain drops. He watched the drips hit and slip down her window, enjoying the smell of the rain and of Serena. His lids were drifting shut when the bed began to move, Serena resting her head on his chest. Hesitating, he slowly wrapped an arm around her and she snuggled in closer to him. He listened to her breaths, her taking a large one in and moaning it out her mouth. 

“Darien….”

Little fist clenched his shirt tight, making even the smallest thought of escape impossible. He was there for the night. There for the night with Serena pressed against him in her see through nightgown and moaning his name in her sleep. 

OoOoO

The days slowly shifted, getting shorter and cooler. The couches were recovered and the walls painted. Now instead of living inside of a dungeon, each room reflected the light it received, only brightening the inside more. 

The formal living room she dressed in white and light grey stripes. Dining room became a pale yellow, the dining sets rich cherry color glowing next to the new wall colors. The kitchen received a fresh coat of white paint. Her room she painted light pink and kept her white sheets. The informal living room she painted blue like the sea, and her husband’s eyes, making the now beige couches stand out with their yellow striped pillows. 

Everyone seemed pleased, wearing smiles on their faces now that they lived and worked in a more pleasant environment. Even Dr. Shields approved, spending more time at home and eating more dinners with her. 

Mother Shields however had yet to see it and she had a visit coming soon. 

For now, she had more important things to focus on. Currently, it was wounds and sores and Shakespeare. She had only signed up for two courses at the Women’s College but that was more than enough. The course she took in bed manner was more of a training session for would be nurses. But she feared any high level course and there weren’t many at the college. Then most advanced it went was Anatomy. Her course in English Literature was proving to be a challenge as well simply with the shear amount of work it entailed. 

That said, she would not give any of it up for the world.

Night time, the house was freezing, her digging deep under her thick covers. It had been over a month since Dr. Shields had shown her his medical prowess, comforting her during the storm. She wouldn’t deny that he was a nice man. He was very good at what he did too, otherwise he wouldn’t be gone so much. Or maybe he was just staying away from her, she did not know. 

The sound of the bell and pounding woke her. Snug and warm, she glanced at the small clock on her nightstand finding it was one in the morning. 

The banging and ringing continued as she rose from the warmth and shrugged on her robe. She was still pulling it on when she stepped out into the hall. Mrs. Moon was going for the door when she leaned over the banister. Near the bottom of the stairs, Dr. Shields brushed past her. 

“Go back to bed.”

His voice was heavy with sleep but he had managed to pull on some slacks and a shirt although still disheveled looking. It wasn’t really fair, how he still looked beautiful even at his worst. She didn’t want to know what she looked like currently. 

Ignoring his plea, she stood on the last step as everyone rushed in. Mrs. Moon first, rushing towards the kitchen. Then Dr. Shields and a couple of strange men followed, the three of them carrying another man. The man they carried….was covered in blood. 

OoOoO

“Forgive us Doctor, we did not know where else to go.”

As commanded, the young Stewart quickly cleared the dining room table and they laid the wounded man down. “It’s quite alright, Frank. What happened?”

“Too much to drink and raw words I’m afraid.”

Swearing under his breath, he peeled back the blood soaked shirt to take a closer look at the wound. “Terri, what were you doing drinking? I told you your liver was no good!!”

Terri was out, from the pain, blood loss, and liquor. It was for the best really, but he needed to get the cut cleaned and closed. 

He looked to the men who brought him in; Stewart, Frank, and a younger fellow he didn’t know who was currently staring off into the space behind him. Taking a glance, he found Serena, standing in the doorway. 

Her eyes were on the bloody man, not paying attention to any of her surroundings. Like the men that now stared at her or how she had forgotten to close her robe. 

Blocking her from view, she didn't flinch as he pulled her robe closed and tied it tight. “Do you scare at the sight of blood?” Her eyes finally left the scene behind him, looking up at him in wonder before shaking her head ‘no’. “Good, then you can help me.”

It was already late when the men had arrived. Now dawn was lightening up the house. His fingers and back ached from leaning over and stitching. Serena was still by his side, cleaning the blood away and replacing the dirty water and cloths with clean. 

Stabbed in the lower gut, Terri had been lucky the small blade had missed any important organs. Even a small nick and the man would have been at risk of infection and bleeding to death more than he already was. He doubted he could have saved Terri if it had cut his intestines.

Putting in the final stitch and closing him up, he stepped back and straightened his spine. Before he could wipe the sweat off his brow with the back of his sleeve, Serena wiped it for him, standing on her tiptoes with her face inches from his. She was concentrating on her work, taking care of him and again missing her current surroundings. He took a clean towel to wipe the blood off his hands before he lost himself and placed them on her hips. Things had been going well since the night of the thunderstorm; the last thing he wanted to do was wreck that. 

“Thank you, Serena. For your help. Mrs. Moon is squeamish.”

She shook her head at him, still standing close. “I did nothing. You are the one who saved his life.”

Now clean, he dared to flick a stray strand of rose gold hair behind her ear. “With your help.”

He rested his tired hand on her shoulder and she still didn’t pull away from him, making him feel bold. 

“Thank you! Thank you so much Dr. Shields!!”

Stewart, Frank, and the young man had been sleeping in the hall, waiting. But now with the sun shining bright, they had woken to find their friend in more stable conditions.

“Thank you Doctor and Mrs. Shields, what can we ever do to repay you?”

Serena had turned to face them and he replaced his hand on her other shoulder, keeping her near. “You can keep Terri here away from the drink and his wound clean and dry!”

He called and helped them load their man into his carriage for them to get home. When he returned, Serena was sitting on her favorite couch in the formal living room. “You should go to bed.”

“So should you.”

Running a hand through his hair, he felt every kink in his neck and shoulders. “I have to be at work soon.”

“Are you really going to go in today?”

Her head rested on the back of the couch and she cocked it to the side, looking up at him with a small but curious smile. “Are you still going to have Mother over today?”

The smile on her face fell, replaced with a cringe. “Oh no, I forgot…”

“We should probably call her….explain and apologize.”

“You’re right. I’m just going to...sit here for a minute…”

He was staring, her robe stood out with its dark colored pattern of swirls against the bright white of the couch. It made her curves underneath it stand out all the more.

Closing them for a second, she popped her eyes back open, finding him unmoved. Taking a hand, she patted the spot next to her, a lazy smile stretching across her tired face. He couldn’t say no, not to her and not now.

He still kept a small but respectable distance from her, his head falling to the back of the couch. “That was inspiring what you did last night.”

“Last night was extraordinary.”

“And yet you still saved a man’s life.”

“With your help.”

She giggled lightly, “I cleaned. I was a maid.”

“The maid was cowering in the kitchen.”

She giggled again and leaned her shoulder against his. Tempting fate, he wrapped an arm around her. Slipping further, she fell onto him with all her weight, a comfortable silence falling over them. 

“Darien…”

He jumped, his eyes popping open in a manner that occurred when awoken unnaturally. The first thing he saw was Serena’s face; slack with sleep, eyes gently closed and mouth popped open to expel hot breaths across his face. One hand was curled under her cheek, propping her up over him. The other rested across his chest, it bent and curled so that her fingertips touched his scalp. Still snoring, it was not Serena that had called to him. 

Jumping again when a hand touched his shoulder, he turned away to find Mother standing over the two of them, a grin plastered to her face. It was then that he realized, his head was laying in Serena’s lap. Either he had slipped down into it in his exhausted haze...or she had placed him in it after he fell asleep. With her arm curled around his head, it looked as if she pulled him.

Having already shaken her one too many times, he pulled himself from her and then plucked her from her perch and carried her to bed. Safely tucked, he returned to his Mother, who had taken the spot they once occupied.

“What happened to the two of you?”

He scrubbed his face, groaning at her implied tone. “A patient. A man was stabbed last night. Serena helped me save his life when they brought him here.”

Mother gasped, “She did? Oh I knew that girl was meant for great things.”

“Mother…”

“Well, I had my suspicions. For her to have caught your interests in the first place…”

“Mother…” She continued to ignore his warning tone.

“Oh what beautiful children the two of you would make.”

He shook his head at her sad tone. “Except that is physically impossible.”

“Doesn't that just make you sad?”

He frowned down at her, turning and leaving her where she sat. “I’m afraid we won’t be able to entertain today, Mother. We will have to reschedule for next week.”

Heading for the door, Mother followed, not making things any more difficult for once. She moved in for a hug, kissing his cheek as she pulled back. “Alright, tell Serena I said rest well and that the house looks beautiful.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

OoOoO

“The place really does look stunning, Serena.”

Mother sat across from her as she poured the tea. Mina munched on a cookie, nodding her head in agreement. “I cannot believe I am sitting in the same house!”

“Thank you. The house was beautiful already Mother….”

She was waving her off already. “It was beautiful for a bachelor. I had no thoughts of a woman while working on this place.”

It was growing late and there was no sign of her husband. It looked as though she was going to eat dinner alone anyway. “Would the two of you care to join me for dinner?”

Mother agreed, of course, but Mina politely declined. Now the two of them sat at the large dining room table alone. Normally, she ate in the kitchen when Dr. Shields worked late. The large room and table was not suited for just two people really, designed for ten at most. But they never had so many over for dinner. The number of people she knew in town could never fill the table.

“Christmas is nearing. What plans have you and my son made?”

She nearly dropped her spoon into her soup bowl. “Oh...uh….”

The topic of Christmas had not been discussed in the slightest by her or Dr. Shields. “I have a lovely dinner every year that I force your husband to attend. But you will enjoy it far better than he would.”

“What is the date?”

“The 23rd, as it is every year.”

The sound of the front door reached their ears and soon, Dr. Shields was rushing into the room and looking worried. “Mother? You are still here?”

Mother stood, letting her son walk over and greet her with a small hug and kiss. “So nice to see you too, my darling.”

“Forgive me. It is a surprise. A nice surprise.” His eyes danced to her several times while he spoke.

“When it appeared I would be eating alone, I invited Mother to stay for dinner.”

He seemed to calm a little at that for some reason while Mother started to push him into a seat. “Dinner is not yet done, join us!”

A maid set his place, a steaming bowl of soup placed before to match theirs. “What are you ladies talking about?”

“Christmas.”

Unable to take her eyes off of him, she caught the cringe the Doctor had at the mention. “You don’t enjoy the holiday?”

His eyes found hers, looking shocked she had taken notice. “It is not my favorite no.”

“This year you will have Serena and therefore you will have to do much better at containing your disdain. Especially at my dinner.”

“About that…”

“You cannot weasel your way out of it, Darien! You have a duty to your Mother and your Wife this year.”

Dr. Shields held up his hands in defense, “I will be there, Mother. I know better than to attempt to escape. It is Serena who won’t be attending.”

Mother looked even more upset, “Why of God’s name not?? I want to show off my new daughter!!”

Dr. Shields was working hard to keep Mother from throwing her bowl of soup at him. His eyes flicked to her as she also waited for his reasoning. “Forgive me, I was going to tell both of you soon.” He settled his focus on her, ignoring the glare Mother was shooting him. “Serena, I thought you would like to go home for Christmas.”

“Excuse me?”

Looking a bit nervous, his eyes danced between her and Mother, as if he did not know where the hit would come from. “You have been homesick, yes? I thought you would enjoy some time at home. With your classes, the Christmas break is the best time. You can go for a nice long visit.”

“What about you?”

Confused for a moment by her question, he soon shook his head gently at her. “I have to stay and work. And go to Mother’s party it would seem.”

Mother did not look pleased, “You plan to send your young wife home alone? Do you not worry how that will look?”

“And how will it look, Mother?”

“Like you are sending her home for good.”

Her breath caught, the ability to breathe freely was lost to her. Was that what he was doing? Sending her home, sending her away. Her fear coursed through her uncontrollably, unable to do anything but stare at her husband until he answered the question she couldn’t bear herself to ask. In part, because she feared the answer but also because she couldn’t draw a breath to speak.

His eyes found hers and she was sure she wore her fear on her face, his speed in explaining proving it. “No! Just to visit! She is coming back. You will be coming back!”

She did her best to hide her ragged breath as she was finally able to draw air in. The rest of the conversation blocked, she focused on the strange gnawing in her chest. Trying to understand why she feared going home. It wasn’t the worry of what others thought; she had never let that bother her before so why would it now? When first presented, she had been happy with the promise of going home. It was when Dr. Shields said he would not be going with her that dread began to fill her chest. He didn’t want her around for such a big holiday. Christmas was a holiday to be spent with family and loved ones. He was sending her home because he considered her neither of those things.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! I meant to update yesterday and forgot....then forgot again.... So here it is, the next chapter! I hope you enjoy as it starts to get a little...steamy! Big thanks to my Betas Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and SailorMoon489!!

**Chapter 4**

 

The platform was filled with people, all of them taking loved ones along with them.  She was the only one leaving her ‘loved one’ behind.

Her suitcase in his hand, he walked her to her cabin, opening the door and helping her in.  Putting her suitcase in the bin above, she settled herself, looking out the window at all the passing bodies.  “Your father will be there to collect you.”

She nodded, not looking away from the world outside her little cabin.  He had told her all of this before. A couple of times now. Not only did he not think of her like family or a loved one, he thought her dumb.

He was standing over her, looking down at her but she refused to give him her eyes.  She heard him sigh before he left, thinking him done, but then his stormy dark eyes blocked her view.  “You will return to me...won’t you?”

His candor and question surprised her, pulling back from the window to take in the rest of his face.  “I didn’t realize it was a question?”

There was no satisfaction on his face but he gave her a nod all the same and walked away, the train taking off before she could find him again in the crowd.

Father carried her suitcase up the walk, the door cracking open and Mother along with Greer and Kyla running out to greet her.  Wrapped up in her mother’s arms, she was pulled and tugged inside the warm house.

The fire was roaring in the living room as she was stripped of her coat and hat, the light dancing across the dark room.  Mother sat just behind her on the couch while she warmed up her hands. “How was your trip?”

Her eyes on the dancing flames, she held in her sigh.  “It was fair. We had good weather. The tracks were clear.”

“And how is your home and husband?"

“They are both fine.”

The two of them were alone and yet, Mother still whispered.  “And am I to be a grandmother yet?”

Turning, she was met by the wide grin of her mother.  “No. We have to...that is we haven’t….”

Greer walked in a tray of tea and biscuits and even with her clear indication of privacy, it did not stop her mother.  “You have not consummated the marriage?!”

She hushed her, Greer’s eyes were wide as if she somehow knew what they were talking about.  “Have you told Greer of these things??”

“She is the next in line for marriage.  I did not want her to be as woefully unprepared as you were.”  Now Mother focused on Greer and her ‘education’. “See my child, this is exactly what you must avoid.  Your fair sister has not locked her marriage down or been a good wife to her husband and now she has been sent back to us.”

“Mother!!!”

“If you refuse and are not intimate with your husband within the first week of marriage, then the relationship is doomed.”

“Mother, I have not denied him or turned him away!  He has not even attempted to share a bed with me!”

She was thankful when Father joined them, silencing any further talk of her and her husband’s cold marriage bed.

OoOoO

Never had he ever been happy for an epidemic as he was now.  A strain of the Flu was taking the town hold this Christmas it would seem.  Giving him a reason to stay away from his empty house and his Mother’s dinner.  Serena would be returning in a few days and he spent as much of those days and the ones before it at his practice.  The outbreak was a welcomed distraction for sure.

He was thankful no children had suffered from it yet.  A strong shot of Penicillin knocked it out of grown patients he had seen but a child would not be so easy.  Their little bodies could not handle the dosage needed to kill the virus. The most he would be able to do for a child would be to make them comfortable and tell their parents to pray.

His practice was full of people currently, each room of the mansion turned medical practice had a patient seeking attention for the sickness.  Making his way to another room, Andrew stepped out of one. “This Flu is going to take out the whole town. You should be glad your wife is out of town and away from it.”

“Even if she wasn’t, Serena is a strong woman.  She would easily survive.”

Andrew was shaking his head at him, chuckling.  “Mina is strong as well but I still don’t want her to suffer.  And she refuses to put me in quarantine too.”

“She wants children and refuses to wait.”

“I’m sure your wife is just as amorous.  You are still in the first year of your marriage after all.”

He left Andrew in the hall, ducking into the room that waited for him.  A man and woman stood next to the bed, coughing coming from them. And from a small child, laying on the bed.

OoOoO

A large goose sat mostly untouched in the middle of the table.  Plates filled with boiled potatoes, greens with chestnuts, beets, and bread were passed around.  Those that joined them included; the MacKinnons from next door; the local parishioner who had married her to Dr. Shields, Father Lachlan; and Uncle Glenn with his wife Arabelle and son Sloan.

This was the first time she had seen any of them, especially Sloan.  As it were, he had yet to look at her so she could almost say she had not seen him at all.  He still appeared just as she remembered him, same long black hair and dark eyes.

Father Lachlan led them in prayer and then the room was filled with the sounds of pleasant eating and conversation.  Until Father Lachlan gained her attention. “Serena, you must tell me how your husband is doing? I enjoy hearing of glad tidings for the couples I get the pleasure of joining together.”

All side conversations stopped everyone intent on hearing her tale.  “He is fine. He stayed home to work.”

“Ah, a doctor’s work is never done.”  Mother added.

“How are you adjusting to London, dear?”  Aunt Arabelle asked.

“Fine.  Actually, I have started taking classes at the Women’s College.”

Mr. MacKinnon snorted, “Really?  And what pray tell are you studying?”

“Literature…”  They all nodded as if that was to be expected.  “And a bit of medicine.”

Forks dropped loudly to their plates and all stared at her save for Sloan.  “Why on Earth are you studying that?”

She met Uncle Glenn’s stare.  “It was my husband’s idea.”

A chuckle came from across the table, Sloan’s silence suddenly ending.  “He intends to keep his beautiful new wife busy. Dr. Shields wants to keep her from getting bored.”

The table chuckled lightly, save for her Mother and sisters who flashed concern her way.  “Actually, he hopes I will join him at his practice. Or write a great novel. His only intent is to make me happy.”

Sloan was silent again but looked as though he might snap his plate in half at any moment.  Mother noticed this as well, changing the subject to lighter topics, happy to discuss anything other than her marriage for the remainder of the evening.

Helping Cote clear the table, the others made their way to the living room for brandy and entertainment.  The sound of Greer at the piano filtered through the house, a lovely Christmas tune that had her heart dancing.

The goose still had a lot of meat on its bones and there were many leftover dishes.  “Cote, let’s wrap these things up and take them to the Farlens. I hear they had a tough season.”

A nod and she stood alone in the dining room.  “Are you staying?”

She glanced back at him, Sloan standing a respectable distance from her.  But she still made her way to the other side of the table to put more between them.  “Yes. But only for a few more days. Then I return.”

“Return?  To him?!”

“He is my husband, Sloan.”

“A husband that sends you away for Christmas!”

“Not that is it your business but he sent me here as a gift.  He knew I was homesick…”

“Then why not join you?  Do you know what the whole town is saying about your return?  That your husband grew tired of you and shipped you back home.”

“He did not join me because he is working and I care not what the town thinks of me.  You know this!”

He stepped up to the table, it separating them thankfully.  “And what about me? Do you care what I think of you?”

She huffed, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.  “I do not. For you who runs off and courts every girl in town at the first sign of adversity.”

“What would you have me do?”

“Fight for me!  If you had challenged the engagement, my father would have folded.  But no, your resolve was as strong as moist paper.”

“Then I will fight for you now.”

She held his stare for a moment before turning away, shaking her head at his ridiculousness.  “It is too late now.”

“It is not, you have not consummated.”

Stilling, she slowly turned back to him.  “How do you know that?”

“Greer told me.  Even your sister thinks us a better pair.”

“Greer is a romanticizing fool who does not know the ways of the world yet!”

“And neither do you if you think your so-called husband cares for you in the slightest.”

Stomping her foot, she stopped her clearing off the table and glared at him. “My husband is strong and kind and considerate and smart…”

“Is he loving?  Is he kind to you?”  Sloan had made his way around the table when she wasn’t paying as close attention as she should have.  Taking another step closer to her, she took a step back. “If it were me, I would never let you out of my sights.   Not to some school. Even to visit home.”

Standing tall, she did her best to look down on him, even with him taller.  “He trusts me. Believes in me. Which is more than I can say for you it seems.”

Wanting to hear no more, she rounded the table to keep from going any closer to him and ran for the safety of the kitchen.

OoOoO

He could not make himself enter past the door, leaning heavily against it and hanging his head.  No amount of death would ever make him numb to it, this much was true, but it was all the worse when it was the life of a child.

It took two days for him to die, the small child that was placed in his care, the Flu strand taking him just a couple of hours ago.  The mother’s cries still rang in his ears.

Finding the strength, he pushed off the door, the floor swaying a little as he did.  He needed to rest, having stayed up for the last two nights with the boy. There was no doubt he was tired but he doubted he could sleep, the dim green eyes of the boy would haunt him when he tried.

So he poured himself a brandy and locked himself in his office.  

He missed his Wife, even with her sleeping in a separate room from him and not touching him, she was a comfort to him.  Her very presence was a warm slave on his soul. His home bore her touch and her scent, if he was in a room she had actually touched, his office had been off limits.  Something he now regretted as it reflected him completely, darkness.

Taking his glass with him, he sought out a place of hers, plopping down on her favorite couch.  Her scent lingered on it and he sunk down deep into the cushions to savor it. Setting his drink to the side, he laid across it, his face buried in the spot where she sat cradling his head.  If she had been home, he would have found comfort in her instead of in a bottle. Maybe it was good she wasn’t here, he might get carried away and scare her with his truths.

Either way, he missed his Wife.

OoOoO

Mrs. Moon stood on the platform, ready to receive her.  She knew not what she expected but disappointment bloomed when it was not her husband awaiting her return.

Late evening and dark as pitch, the carriage pulled up to the house she did not realize she missed until it came into view.  Mrs. Moon padded her knee, drawing her attention away from the window. “We all missed you, my dear.”

“All?”

“Yes, even the Master...especially him.”

It was hard to believe, given the cool send-off and greeting she had received, her husband not in sight even as they entered the home.  “Mrs. Moon, where is Dr. Shields?”

“His room.  Poor thing has a cold.”

“Pardon me.”

Rushing past Mrs. Moon, she bounded up the stairs, giving a soft knock to his door.  When she received no response, she knocked once more before entering carefully. The only light came from the door she crept through.  The only indication he was in the room and alive was the cough he released, deep from his chest it sounded full of fluid.

No longer worried about propriety, she found and turned on the light by his bed, finding him wrapped up in his sheets and covered in sweat.  “Mrs. Moon!!!”

The elder appeared in the doorway soon enough, looking flustered as she took in the same scene she had.  “He assured me it was a simple cold! That he would sleep it away!”

“He lied.  I need cloths and cool water.”

“Shall I bring his medical bag?”

She quickly thought it over before giving her a nod.  There was very little she knew and doubted she would know what to do with anything that laid inside.  But she had nursed each and every single member of her family over the years. She was the only one to never catch the sicknesses that went around.

“If you have it, bring me oil, honey, and peppermint.”

She may not have a medical degree but she had learned a thing or two over the years dealing with sickness in the chest and head.

Mrs. Moon returned quickly with the desired items and they both worked to strip the bed and the man of his drenched beddings and clothes.  “I will take these, his night clothes are in that drawer.”

Mrs. Moon pointed and left with the pile of soiled cloths.  Mixing her ingredients with the spoon and small bowl Mrs. Moon thought to bring it all in, she crushed the peppermint leaves as fine as she could and stirred it into goo.  Her hand trembled as she spread it across his chest, the firm ripples of his muscles touched her palms and made her feel a sweat on her neck.

Nightshirt in hand, she struggled to pull Dr. Shields up by herself, but managed, keeping an arm around his shoulders to hold him while she worked his shirt over him.  Pulling up a knee, she held him up with her legs around his ribs so she could use both hands to pull an arm through the sleeve.

Getting one arm in, he released a groan and his eyes fluttered open.  Finding her quickly, his brows knitted in confusion. “Serena? You’re home?”

“Yes.  Now be quiet and go back to sleep.”

Holding himself up now, he ignored her and remained awake.  Twisting herself, she rolled around to the other side of him to pull his other arm through as he had yet to fully awaken and understand his situation.

“Serena...what are you doing?”

His voice was soft, laced with something she assumed had something to do with the fever, him sounding strange.  “You are sick, and with far worse than a cold, so Mrs. Moon and I are taking care of you.”

“Where is Mrs. Moon?”

She placed her hand to his forehead, checking him again.  “She took your soiled sheets and clothes. You sweated through them.  And your fever still hasn’t broken….”

“Serena...what are you doing??”

Focused on his sweating brow, she looked down, finding his eyes impossibly deep as they looked back at her.  He didn’t look confused, even with his fever, and his tone lacked any and all question. But it was a question.

She didn’t understand until she felt his hands on her thighs.  A leg on either side of his hips, she sat in his lap. So intent on getting him dry and warm, keeping him safe from getting worse, she had lost herself and her surroundings.  Now she was in his hold, even failing to notice her skirt hiking up to accommodate her movements, her boots and legs in full view.

_What was she doing?_

Unable to answer, any and all thoughts getting washed away by the ocean in his eyes, his hands left her thighs and went to her back instead.  Pulling her the rest of the way to him, his lips brushed against hers. Remaining perfectly still, he parted his mouth and wrapped it around her lower lip.  The one and only time he had embraced her like this had been months ago at the wedding. But this was nothing like that time. That had been a shell of a kiss, a dainty touching of their mouths to appease all those who looked.

This...this was a kiss meant to never be seen by anyone.

His arms had her crushed to him while hers wrapped around his head, digging her fingers to his scalp in his hair.  Their mouths molded together and then he parted hers with his tongue, sweeping around inside and then dancing with hers.  She had gasped many times throughout the exchange, his actions shocking her to say the least. Now as his hands ran down her back, she found herself moaning instead.

Hands swept over her backside.  Then he moved his arms back up to wrap one around her ribs and the other around her shoulders, holding the back of her head in place.  Her hands slipped to the back of his neck and were scorched from its high temperature. It was a dull ache at the back of her mind but now it exploded to the front, he was not of his right mind thanks to his fever.

Finding his shoulders, she pushed him hard, but he fell back easily given his condition.  Scrambling off of him, she made it to the solid ground just as Mrs. Moon returned, another important reason to stop...whatever it was they were just doing.  They were both panting; him from his fever and her from her fear.

“Are you alright, dear?’

Mrs. Moon’s concern was now on her and she fumbled.  “Yes, I...the shirt. He is heavier than he looks.”

Mrs. Moon leaned over the patient, his eyes not really focusing as he looked back at her prying stare.  “And, of course, you were no help were you?”

He smirked and chuckled, rolling over and away from Mrs. Moon to stare at her.  “I was helpful, I helped myself.”

The smirk he wore sent a twitch up her spine as if his hands were still on her.  “I...I need a moment.”

She was heading to the door without looking back.  “Of course, dear. You must be tired from your journey.  I will keep watch over the Master.”

“NO!”  She stopped, turning back to find Dr. Shields sitting up in bed glaring at the two of them.  “I want my _wife_ to look after me.”  Mrs. Moon tried to protest but was cut off.  “This is the Flu and at your age Mrs. Moon, it would kill you.  You need to leave this room. This house!”

Mrs. Moon was still fussing over him, trying to get him to lay and calm down.  But he wouldn’t budge, still trying to get Mrs. Moon to leave. Rushing back to his side, she gently pulled on Mrs. Moon, taking her hands in hers.

“It will be alright, Mrs. Moon.  I will take care of him. You should lodge elsewhere till this passes.  We will be fine.”

Hesitating for a moment longer, she was soon alone with her husband again.  “You want to come check my temperature again, Wife?”

Spinning, she caught the grin he wore before he fell back to the bed, keeping his attention on her.  She ignored the shiver that ran up her spine at the hazy look he was giving her, his smile twisting on his cheeks and drew attention to his chiseled jaw.  “I have no need. The fever still has a hold on you as you are acting and talking crazed.”

“Is that so bad?  You did not seem to mind it too much a moment ago.”

She found the floor with her eyes, unable to stand his intense stare a moment longer.  “It is when you do and say things that are not appropriate. Or that you do not mean.”

“There is nothing that I do or say with you that is either inappropriate or that I do not mean in earnest.”  She kept her distance, fearful if she got too close he might grab her and pull her into the bed with him. “Do you fear me or the sickness?”

Looking back at him, her hands firmly planted before her as she wrung her fingers together, he looked disappointed or sad.  She took a few brave steps closer, “I fear nothing.”

He finally tore his gaze from her, looking up at the ceiling.  “You should fear this. A little boy died from it a few days ago.”

Now she rushed to him, sitting fully at his side on the bed.  “He was in your care?”

He wouldn’t look at her, nodding as he continued to stare at the ceiling above him.  “Sorry to disappoint you, my wife. I am not able to save everyone.”

“You do not disappoint.”  She said, taking his hand in hers.

At her touch, he looked at her again, a small smile on his lips.  “You really shouldn’t come near me. You have already been too close.  If you got sick...it would be worse than my own.”

She felt hot.  From a blush, not a fever, but didn’t look away.  “I don’t get sick. I was the one to take care of my family when they were ill and never once did I catch what ailed them.”

“I’m sure you kept your distance.  Not getting quite so close.”

His smirk returned, making her feel feverish again.  Lowering her gaze, she tried to pull her hand away but he held tight.  “Dr. Shields…”

“Darien.  I am your husband, call me by my first name.”

She remained silent, keeping her eyes on the sheets beneath them.  When she didn’t respond, he pulled her hand hard. Landing on his chest, her eyes were wide on his.  

“I thought you were worried I’d get sick?”

An arm around her waist, he held her to him as he rolled them over, pinning her under him.  “I think it is far too late for that.”

He dropped his mouth to hers again and all the fight rushed out of her.  He released the hand he held but she wrapped it around his neck, her other arm wrapping around his ribs.  His tongue was in her mouth again, flicking across hers and causing her to quake. A shaking that didn’t stop when he released her mouth.

“Say my name, Serena.”  She hesitated and he took her mouth again, his lips teasing hers as he sucked and pulled on them.  They popped when he pulled away again.  “Say my name.”

This time, he took to kissing everywhere but her mouth, going down her chin and to her neck.  His lips pressed to her throat and it felt as if he forced it out of her. “Darien….”

It vibrated all the way to her spine and she could feel the grin that spread across his mouth, his lips still firmly pressed to her skin.  But then they left suddenly; his lips, his weight, his touch. Darien releasing her completely.

“Good.  Now never call me Dr. Shields again.”

It took several heartbeats to regain herself, scrambling from the bed and then the room when she did.  The door felt cold against her back as she pressed her whole weight against it, shivering in the hall. The whole house had felt warm when she arrived but now her overheated flesh made it feel like an icebox.  Was that what Mother had meant? Her wifely duties and taking a piece of her husband inside her?

His tongue had been inside her but that had not hurt in the slightest.  In fact, she found it quite pleasurable. Mother had made sex sound so horrific that a wife would only do it out of necessity but she wanted to kiss Darien like that again already.

Her heart was still racing from the caress and her lips burned.  So unwise to the world of men; not only did she not know if Darien was the only one to make her feel this way or if it had been nothing more than a fever induced haze, making him act in ways he never would otherwise.  Nothing from the time they spent before gave her an indication of it being anything more than a mistake, one that he would surely be apologizing for as soon as his fever broke. How many endeavors he would need to apologize for depended on how much longer his fever held.

OoOoO

Pillow under his chin, he woke to the sight of his headboard.  He was holding his pillow tight, in place of Serena, as he had dreamed about her all night.  Flipping onto his back caused a coughing spell, it stinging all the way to his chest. When he opened his eyes again, he found her bright blues before him.

“Serena?”

“I am just checking on you!”  Her hand flew to his forehead and flittered back just a quick, Serena shrinking away from him with such haste, it was as if she never touched him at all.

A chair had been pulled to the side of his bed, a good six inches from it, and it was clear she had been propped up in it all night.  “When did you get back? What day is it?”

“It is the 26th and I arrived late last night to find you in the hold of your fever.”  She stopped, turning to face him with a confused look on her face. “You remember none of it do you?”

“What is there to remember?  I slept did I not? Where is Mrs. Moon?”

A frown marred her face, a sadness in her eyes he couldn’t explain.  “You sent her away. And I sent the others home, they are all either too old to survive the Flu or have little ones at home that could catch it.”

“But you stayed?  Taking care of me?”

The sadness remained, her flopping to her chair and digging into the small book she often carried with her.  “I am your wife, am I not?”

“Which part of that upsets you more?  Taking care of me or being my wife?”

She sighed, shutting her book and pinching her brow.  “Neither, Darien. I am not upset for either of those reasons…”

“Say that again?”

Sitting up straight, her eyes went wide as she noticed her slip.  “I said, neither.”

“No.  Not that part.”

Hesitating, she shifted in her seat as if uncomfortable with herself and him.  “Darien…”

Her eyes instantly went to the ground once his name left her lips for the second time but he smiled all the same.  “I prefer you to call me that, you know?”

She shot to her feet, the action so sudden it caused him to jump.  “Yes, you made that very clear last night."

Now she was making for the door, fast as if he could go after her.  “Serena! Did I...do or say something that has you upset??"

Flinging the door open, she stepped out into the hall, only looking back once.  “No. You did nothing.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, lovelies! Hope you are having a great Friday! Shout out to my betas Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and SailorMoon489!!! 
> 
> Thank you all for your comments and kudos! I can't believe I'm getting such a response from this fic, but I am NOT complaining!!! Hope to keep hearing from you all and please don't fear any comment. Long or short, silly or serious, I love hearing from you all! Even if it's "come read my fic!"
> 
> Sorry for the weird spacing, didn't have time to fix it. Also, if you haven't heard the song in here, you need to. It's Robert Burns' Red, Red Rose and it is beautiful. My all time fave.

 

**Chapter 5**

 

Something had definitely happened, Serena was keeping him at a distance again.  He remembered nothing while he was ill, fairly certain he had slept through it all.  Perhaps something had happened while she was home? Could it be guilt that has her so up in arms against him?  Pushing him away because she misbehaved while out of his care? Her cousin was still in that town, the one that had tried to challenge him at the wedding.

 

He was certain Serena was not the type.  He trusted her. So what was wrong?

 

Coming home for dinner, he found himself alone.  He had to seek out Mrs. Moon who was packing up her things again.  “Mrs. Moon? What is going on?”

 

“Oh, I’m afraid it’s your Wife, Doctor.  Seems she has caught that bug. I was waiting for your return before I made my leave.”

 

“Where is she?”

 

“In her room, resting.”

 

He took the steps three at a time, coming to her door and not thinking to knock.  She screamed, ducking to her knees to hide her naked body from him. He quickly spun around, his brain spinning with it.

 

“I’m sorry I...they told me you were sick and resting.”

 

“I was!  But my fever caused me to soak through my sheets!”

 

“You were changing them yourself?”

 

He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, slowly turning to find her in a long nightgown that covered her from head to toe pulling the sheets off her bed.  “Who else?”

 

A coughing spell hit, nearly having her hit the floor, and he pulled her away from the bed.  One touch told him she was running a high fever. Wrapping a thick blanket around her, he forced her to sit in a chair while he took care of the sheets.  Half asleep when he finished, he lifted her from the chair to set her in the bed.

 

Her breath rattled in her chest, the fluid filling her lungs already.  “Hmmmm...Darien……”

 

Her head fell to his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his neck, trying to pull him to the bed with her.  He quickly grabbed them and gently pulled them off. “No, no. You are not well, Serena. The fever has you acting odd.”

 

Coming out of nowhere, her foot planted itself in his chest and shoved him back.  “You would know all about that, wouldn’t you Dr. Shields?”

 

They were back to that again?  It felt as if every step forward was two steps back.  “Why must you refuse to use my name?”

 

“Because I am angry with you!”

 

She started coughing again and he set her back right in the bed, covering her with thick blankets.  “You shouldn’t waste your energies on such pointless notions.”

 

He brushed wet strands off her brow and she released a pained moaned.  “Oh God, I am dying.”

 

The chuckle that slipped out earned him a glare.  “You are just ill. It’s the fever. It is no different than when you were sick as a child.”

 

“I was never sick.  This is my first time in this life.”

 

“I guess you’d better get used to it, living with a Doctor who is around the sick all the time.”

 

“I was around the sick all my life!  I took care of my family when any fell ill and I spent many times at the Abbey helping the sick and poor.  Never once did I catch anything. This is all your fault!”

 

“How is that??”

 

“Because you couldn’t keep your selfish, feverish hands to yourself!!!”  She coughed violently again, her sitting up to accuse him agitating her lungs again.

 

Gently, he pushed her back down and held her still.  “What are you talking about, Serena?”

 

“You kissed me!!  Grabbed me and held me to the bed and had your way with my mouth until I called you Darien!!!”

 

He hastily removed his hold from her.  “I...I am sorry Serena...I wasn’t of my right mind….”

 

“Why did you marry me?”

 

He sputtered, caught off guard by the sudden change.  “Ex..excuse me?”

 

“Why did you marry me?”

 

Her anger was still coursing through every word she spoke, mad at him for touching her, for pushing her.  Taking advantage of her truly. What answer would make her happy? Or at least quell her anger? If she was mad about him kissing her, then any kind of confession or justifications of his feelings for her would only make things worse.  She did not want to hear how he wanted to kiss her and how the fever only stripped him of his inhibitions.

 

“I married you so you would not fall to scandal.  An engagement as long as ours, as known as ours, you and your family would never survive such an event.”  

 

Opening her mouth to speak only released more coughing, her twisting into herself to try and control the pain.  

 

When she calmed, he stood, “Rest.  I’m going to give you a shot of penicillin.  It will help.”

 

She turned away from him before he left but he already knew that he had made yet another mistake.  At least she wouldn’t remember this one.

 

OoOoO

 

Alone when she woke, it was bright outside her window.  The shot Darien gave her made her feel beyond better, stretching her arms high over her head.

 

The chair he had sat in to watch her all night remained but the man was gone.  Her robe wrapped around her tight, she still felt a slight chill as she tiptoed down the stairs to find Darien, only to find Isabelle, the youngest maid in the house.

 

“Where is Dr. Shields?”

 

“Ah, he said your fever broke so he went to work.  Mrs. Moon is on her way back though so do not fret my lady.”

 

Isabelle went back to her breakfast preparations while she stood feeling shell shocked.  Darien was kind, hard working, smart, and altogether a good man. So why was he so cruel to her?  She was sick, yet he easily left her to tend to others. 

 

_ Because they were more important.  He never wanted to get married and he only did it to keep you and your family out of trouble.  That is the kind of man that he is. _

 

Her inner thoughts were bitter...but they were right.  Every word he had ever said to her was echoing in her head, how he never wanted to get married in the first place and how he only married her because of the predetermined arrangement when they were children.  Who had made that arrangement anyway? Her father had told her nothing of the details, only that it had been decided when she was too young to understand.

 

Darien was a good man, one that put unnecessary burdens upon himself to help others.  He didn’t deserve to be tied to her for the sake of her and her family. Scandal or not, she refused to be his problem any longer.

 

Leaving Isabelle alone with her breakfast, she returned to her room to dress and pack.

 

OoOoO

 

Leaving work early to check on his sick Wife was proving to put him in an odd circumstance.  There was yelling, a lot of it and he found the source all the way at the back of the house. It was rare to see Mrs. Moon angry, the sight of it had chills running up his spine and he was not on the receiving end.  Something that changed when she took note of him.

 

She had been cross at the young maid he had left to care for Serena, but now all her anger barreled into him, her rushing to his side and smacking his shoulder hard.  “What is the matter with you? Are you some kind of fool? Is your intelligence limited to diseases and blood?!”

 

She smacked him again when he hesitated for even a second.  “I do not know what it is that vexes you…”

 

“Serena is gone.  She packed up her things and left.”

 

“WHAT??!!”

 

Anything else that was said fell on deaf ears, his focus on finding Serena.  She had nowhere to go...except home. No matter how fast he ran, none of it seemed to make a dent on the distance between him and the railroad station.  Nearly knocking a few people down, his screamed apologies had many looking at him like a mad man. But that was what he was.

 

He had no indication how long ago Serena had left, maybe that was one of the things Mrs. Moon had tried to tell him before he fled.  It didn’t matter, if she had already left then he would jump on the next train and follow her.

 

According to the conductor, the next train was to leave in 15 minutes and was now boarding.  The platform was sparse but still dim, the few bodies on it blending together in the dark. Still shoving and racing, he pushed his way through the crowd until he spotted her.

 

A single suitcase in her hands, her rose gold hair made her stand out in the sea of dark colors.  

 

“Serena!!!!”   
  


She heard him, turning to gape but then turn and try to run from him.  The people around him parted, giving him much needed passage and he silently thanked them by giving her chase.  Serena had stepped up to her cabin when he caught her, pulling her back harshly and back towards a dark space.

 

“What are you doing?  Are you leaving me?!”

 

She wouldn’t look at him, her face to her feet as she shuffled them.  “I no longer wish to be a burden.”

 

“God, Serena you are not a burden!”

 

Angry tears flooded her face as she glared up at him.  “You are never home! And when you are home you barely speak to me!  Our marriage is one of convenience. I thank you for helping me save face but I do not need your pity.”

 

His chest threatened to rip apart and he felt the ache of it to his spine.  She stepped around him so he grabbed her suitcase, stealing it from her. “Serena, please.  Don’t leave me.”

 

After all this time, he still couldn’t let her go.  The thought feeling like death itself. “I am doing you a favor.  Please return my things.”

 

Her hand was extended towards him for her suitcase but he placed his hand in it instead.  “I will only return them to your room. In our home where you belong! That is the only favor I want from you!”

 

She tried to retract her hand while he refused to release it.  “Dr. Shields, please. We have not consummated. We can get an annulment.  You and I could both save ourselves from the embarrassment of a divorce and you can go back to your carefree life, saving others and not forcing yourself to be around me.”

 

He tugged her hard, releasing her hand as she collided into him so he could use his now free hand to wrap his arm around her.  Her face downturned, her suitcase hit the ground hard as he dropped it to pull her chin up and look at him. “A beautiful woman like you, living in my house for months, no one would believe I did not touch you.”  She was shaking her head, tears still falling from her eyes. “You are  **not** a burden to me.”

 

Releasing her chin, she pressed her face into his chest and he held her while she soaked his shirt with her tears.  This was what he had done to her, how he mad her feel. As much as it pained him to see it, to feel it, he deserved it.  His own punishment. The conductor called for all to board and she tried to pull away from him again. He fell to his knees, keeping a hold on her hands.

 

“Please, Serena, give me a second chance.  I will do better. I...I won’t take you for granted any more.  I promise.”

 

This time when she pulled at her hands, he let her go and she planted them on his cheeks, cupping his face.  “You are a good man, Darien, and I believe you. But I also fear you are only trying to be the good man that you are…”

 

He grabbed her hands, pressing them hard against his cheeks.  “Let me prove that’s not true to you. No amount of words will change your feelings, so stay and let me show you.  Please, Serena, I do not want you to go.”

 

She gave him a watery smile and a small nod.  “We are friends, that much I am sure of. I care for you very much.  If this is what you truly want and not out of duty…”

 

“It is!  It is what I want.”

 

A small giggle left her lips and was followed by a cough.  Jumping to his feet, he switched places, putting his hands on her cheeks to feel for a fever and then sliding them down to her throat to feel for swelling.  “You are still sick.”

 

“I am fine.”

 

He lifted her into his arms, grabbing her suitcase to swing under her knees as he held them both.  Serena did not fight his hold, curling into him and resting her head against his chest. She let him carry her all the way back home and put her to bed.

 

OoOoO

 

Since her attempt to flee, Darien was home every night for dinner and waited to tell her goodbye every morning before leaving for work.  And he was more present at dinner too, telling her about his day and asking her about hers.

 

Currently, the main subject was what her next set of courses should be.  “Are you going to continue both Literature and Nursing?”

 

Darien’s brow twerked up as he asked, a forkful of roast going in his opened mouth.  “Yes. I'm still not sure which one I am made for.”

 

He nodded, picking up another mouthful.  “I think you can get away with that a little longer but soon you will have to pick I’m afraid.”

 

“How is one supposed to do that??  What if you are too large-minded for one singular obsession?”

 

He chuckled, setting his fork down and focusing on her fully.  “No one is single-minded like that, we all have many...obsessions that occupy our thoughts.  The trick is to prioritize them.”

 

“They are both important to me.”

 

She released a frustrated sigh and sat back in her chair, her hands going pulling at her strands out of habit.  “I’m sure you will figure it out soon.”

 

Popping her head back to him, she found him smirking back at her.  “Are you not going to aid in my decision?”

 

“How is that?”

 

“You are my husband, will you not simply tell me which one to chose?”

 

His plate empty, he rose from his seat and looked down at her.  “Would that truly work? I am sure you would choose the opposite to spite me.  Besides, that is not the type of marriage I want.”

 

She rose, following after him.  “Oh? And what kind of marriage is it that you want?”

 

Now she was the one smirking, him turning back to face her after catching it with his glance.  “Have I not made that clear already?”

 

She continued to let her amusement show, crossing her arms over her chest in mock anger.  “I do not know, I have nothing to compare it to.”

 

Reaching out to her, he picked up a strand that rested over her shoulder, playing with it absentmindedly for a second before tossing it to her back.  She struggled to breathe the entire time, Darien playing with her hair as if it were an everyday occurrence. “When was the last time you cut your hair?”

 

“Why?  Do you not like it?”

 

He grinned, making her heart skip.  “Would you cut if I said ‘no’?” Laughing at her frown, he shook his head.  “I was only curious; wanting to know more about you.” She tried to hide her blush but he placed a finger under her chin to pull her face back up.  Something he was doing more and more lately. “I am afraid we will be forced to go to Mother’s New Year’s dinner tomorrow night.”

 

She giggled at his obvious displeasure.  “She has it every year does she not? Why do you seem surprised by this?”

 

“I had hoped, being newly wedded, to get out of it with the excuse of wanting to be alone with my wife.”  

 

This time, she didn’t try to hide, shrugging in spite of her flush.  “That is what you get for trying to take advantage!”

 

Leaving him to enter his study, she headed for bed, him calling out to her before she disappeared upstairs.  “I was not taking advantage, I was speaking the truth.”

 

She rushed as silently as possible to hide her racing emotions in her room.

 

OoOoO

 

It felt as if the box in his pocket was going to burn a hole through it, the jeweled hair comb for Serena inside.  She wasn’t expecting anything for Valentine’s day, of that he was sure, but he did not know if that made his gift better or worse.

 

Getting home as early as possible, he set out in search for her, finding her in his study.  Her back to him, she was looking at the titles on his shelves. “What are you doing?”

 

Jumping, she turned, a sheepish look on her face.  “I am a bit lost in my class and hoped you owned a book that could help me.”

 

“What class?”

 

He was already coming to her side, her eyes on him as he looked over his shelves as well.  “Anatomy.”

 

He stopped, looking back at her, “You are taking Anatomy??”

 

“Is there something wrong with that?”

 

“Serena...I don’t think you should be in that kind of class.”

 

Her brows knitted in frustration at him.  “Why not? You told me to take what I pleased!”

 

“That class….it doesn’t suit you.”

 

Crossing her arms over her chest, she pouted up at him.  “You think it is too difficult? That I will fail?” He tried to redirect her but she stopped him.  “I know that it is a hard course but I figured it would help me decide! If I take it and fail in it or get lost then I will know Nursing is not for me!”  He said nothing else, finding and pulling his old Anatomy book and handing it over to her. “Thank you.”

 

She left, full of determination so he let it go.  Sitting at his desk, he felt the box that was still in his pocket and cursed internally.  He had forgotten all about the gift, after all of that. Now he had to seek her out again.  Which didn’t take long, a scream coming from her bedroom.

 

At the other end of the house, he ran as fast as his legs would take him, getting halfway up the stairs when she emerged from her room.  One arm wrapped around her eyes, the other held out the book he just loaned her as if it were a bug. “Serena? What’s wrong?! Are you okay??”

 

She directed the book towards his voice, keeping her eyes covered.  “I do NOT want to be a Nurse.”

 

“What?”

 

She finally uncovered her eyes, looking down at him over the banister.  “This is pornography!!”

 

Her harsh whisper and wide eyes had him nearly rolling down the stairs with laughter.  “Serena, that’s Anatomy. It’s about the human body.”

 

He caught the book as she dropped it to him, “Are you telling me you studied this?”

 

“It is my book is it not?  My notes in the margins.”

 

“It is full of nudes!!!”

 

Her face was bright red, coming around to meet him on the stairs.  “Hmmm...how far did you get, I wonder, before you decided it was indecent?”

 

Opening, he started flipping through the pages and Serena leaned over to try and shut it again.  “Darien that is not funny.”

 

He slapped it shut for her, “It is just science, Serena, nothing perverse.”

 

“Oh…”  She dropped her eyes for a moment, only to bring them back up with determination.  “Then I will continue. Give me back the book.”

 

Holding it out of reach, he jumped off the stairs.  “I do not want my Wife looking at pornography in my house.”

 

He was teasing her and she chased after him, going for the book.  “But I am so lost and your notes in the margins really helped!”

 

“Then you want to cheat?!”

 

He stopped in the middle of the hall, Serena reaching up on her toes for the book he still held high above their heads.  “I wish not to look foolish! If I am to answer even in a class full of women, I’d rather not look the fool.”

 

“Your professor is a man is he not?  Do you think you will be able to answer his questions on such a subject as the male body?”

 

She was glowing with her flush but did not give up on his book.  “If I know I am right, yes.”

 

“So this book is now the source of your success as a Nurse.  What will you give me for it?”

 

Her eyes, that had been on the book, dropped to his face.  Then she dropped her hands, grabbing hold of his shoulders instead.  Her lips brushed against his, eyes fluttering closed at the contact while he watched her in amazement.  When she pulled away, her eyes went wide on his and she took a step back.

 

“I..I’m sorry.”

 

His book slapped the floor, him dropping it to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her back to him.  “Do not apologize.”

 

Pressing his mouth to hers, she responded instantly, her arms returning to his shoulders and then wrapping around his neck.  Her lips moved against his, the two of them working in tandem as they nipped and sucked at each other. He had her chest molded to his, holding her tight as they lost themselves to one another.  It wasn’t until a throat grunted nearby that they became aware of life outside of each other’s arms.

 

They both turned their heads, their holds not loosening.  Mrs. Moon stood at the other end of the hall, smirking at them.  “Such...married affairs are better left behind closed doors.”

 

It was all she said, turning and leaving them in the hall.  Serena’s hands slid down his chest, gently pushing and asking for her release.  He granted it, her reaching down for the book on the ground. The small space that was between them now sat the book in her hands.

 

“May I please borrow this, Husband?”

 

He was pretty sure it was the first time she had ever called him that as a title.  “Everything I have is yours.”

 

She had her head down, looking at the book between them.  Curling his fingers around her chin, he lifted her face, enjoying every single blush she ever held on it because of him.  The one she had now was no exception. 

 

“Thank you.”

 

OoOoO

 

Sitting down in a huff next to her, Raye took her usual seat at her side.  “This class is going to be the death of me.”

 

Lita, who sat a row before them, turned in her seat to talk, “Did you guys understand any of the reading last night?”

 

“I did,”  Amy stated, not looking up from her novel.

 

Raye groaned, “Of course, you did.  What about you, Serena?”

 

“I did as well...but my husband helped me to understand.”

 

“If I was married, I would get his help with male Anatomy as well.”

 

Amy elbowed Lita, the girl showing no shame while she burned under her collar.  “Not like that! He is a doctor.”

 

“My husband is no help at all.  In any form. Even as an example.”  Raye grumbled.

 

“Ladies, this is not an appropriate conversation to be having…”

 

“Amy, we are in the middle of an Anatomy course.  Are you going to hush us when the professor asks us what part of the male anatomy is required for the creation of children?”

 

Raye was glib, successfully turning the heat on Amy who blushed into her book.  The professor took his place at the front of the class, Lita and Amy’s full attention going there and she leaned over to Raye’s ear.  “What part is that?”

 

Taking her eyes off the front, Raye questioned her with her eyes.  “What?”

 

“The part responsible?  For children?”

 

Turning to face her more, Raye leaned into her as well, whispering harshly.  “How long have you been married again?”

 

“It’s not like that...it was an arranged marriage…”

 

“Are you rich or is he?”

 

“Raye, please.”

 

Taking a glance around, Raye pulled open her book and flipped to the correct page then pointed.  Her curiosity pushed her through her mortification, looking at the nude picture and, more importantly, to the body part Raye pointed at.  “Where does he put it???”

 

Now Raye was blushing, leaning in even closer to her.  “Inside the mate that lies in between your legs!!”

 

She was sure she looked so foolish, a married woman having to ask about the parts of a man and woman all married woman should know already.  She was still fascinated. Gone was her fear and embarrassment, looking closely at the photo.

 

The professor was deep into his lesson, something she really should be paying attention to, when a loud  _ pop _ interrupted, the windows rattling soon after.  Everyone was on the edge of their seats, the professor commanding them to stay in them while he left the room to investigate.  Once the door was shut, it was a mad dash to the windows.

 

Lita being tallest could see over all the heads regardless but Raye pushed to the front, pulling her along.  A long snake of smoke was billowing up from a spot in the near distance, Big Ben as its backdrop. “What is that??”

 

“It’s smoke.”  Lita called over the crowd.

 

“I think it was an explosion.”  Amy wondered out loud.

 

Raye pointed towards the smoke ring.  “Isn’t that Parliament?”

 

“Parliament?”  There were many things she had yet to learn about her new home but she did know a few things.  One of them was the location of Parliament….right next to Darien’s practice. “I have to go.”

 

“Go?  Go where Serena?”

 

“I have to go...I have to go towards Parliment...near the smoke!!!”

 

Raye was helping her push through the others, Amy and Lita right behind.

 

The four of them were running, her following the others.  The people they passed were heading in the other direction.  Turning a street, they barreled into the smoke, it filling the air and blanketing it in a white haze.

 

Raye’s hand slipped from hers, her stumbling and finding a wall.  She was on the sidewalk, using the building she was up against to guide her.  Scratching her palm several times, she called out for her friends, the voices in the distance calling back.  Tripping over something, her hands fell on the railing of a stoop. She had never been to Darien’s practice but the names “Shields” and “Hunter” were prominently scrolled in gold on the front of the building.  Pulling herself inside, she found the place empty.

 

Now she wasn’t calling out to her friends, she was calling out for her Husband.

 

“Serena??”

 

Coming from behind, she ran back down the stairs and into the street.  “Darien!!!”

 

“Serena!!”

 

They called out to each other, following the sounds and getting closer and closer until his shadow broke through the clouds.  He knew it was her long ago, but he still looked confused to see her.

 

“What are you doing here?!  It’s dangerous!!”

 

Ignoring him, she leaped onto him, his arms wrapping around her tight in response.  “We saw the smoke from my classroom. I thought….I was worried that…”

 

He hushed her, holding her off the ground.  “I am alright.”

 

The smoke still covering them, she nuzzled his neck, getting in close so she could smell his skin.  It held hints of smoke but still had the lingering scent of pine that he always managed to smell of.  He kissed her neck in return, lowering her to the ground after and putting his hands on her shoulders to steady both of them.

 

“You should get out of here.  It is dangerous.”

 

“I am not leaving without you.  My friends are here too, I can’t leave them!”

 

“I can’t go, there are many injured.  I am needed here.”

 

“Then use me!  I will help you!!”

 

Releasing her, he took her hand instead and led both of them deeper into the smoke.

 

OoOoO

 

He didn’t like her here but he had no choice.  Serena would do as she pleased, that was who she was and he knew better than to fight her on it.  They carted the first several wounded back to his practice, then the rest came on their own, most with the help of another.  It was far more than the two of them could handle and still too much when Andrew fought his way inside.

 

More started to pile in and he knew someone was going to bleed to death in his waiting room.  Serena was helping him close a deep gash on a man’s head when she perked up.

 

“AMY!!!”

 

A slight woman was helping an elderly woman, who was lost, to take a seat.  Her attention went straight to Serena. “We thought we lost you!!!”

 

“You did!  Where are the others?”

 

“Still outside.”

 

“Get them in here to help!!”

 

It was nearing one in the morning when an end was in sight.  With Serena’s friends and Scotland Yard’s finest, his practice was starting to clear out.  The aftermath caused the events to linger; bloodied cloths on the floor and smoke damage. One of the windows on the second floor had broken in the blast.  And worst of all, he had misplaced his wife.

 

His search coming up empty, he asked the one woman whose name he did catch, Amy, and she pointed outside.  There on the stoop of the building was Serena and a handful of children varying in ages. Keeping them entertained, he realized their parents were still inside his practice getting cleaned up.

 

One child sat in her lap while the other four stood to circle her.  It seemed, they really enjoyed her accent, Serena laying it on even thicker for the children.  If it were not for his few memories of his father, he wouldn’t have understood a word she said.  And then...she started to sing…

 

_ O my Luve’s like a red, red rose, _

_ That’s newly sprung in June; _

_ O my Luve’s like the melodie _

_ That’s sweetly play’d in tune. _

 

_ As fair are thou, my bonie lass, _

_ So deep in luve am I; _

_ And I will luve thee still, my Dear, _

_ Till a’ the seas gang dry. _

 

_ Till a’ the seas gang dry, my Dear, _

_ And the rocks melt wi’ the sun: _

_ I will luve thee still, my dear, _

_ While the sands o’ life shall run. _

 

_ And fare thee weel, my only Luve! _

_ And fare thee weel, a while! _

_ And I will come again, my Luve, _

_ Tho’ it were ten thousand mile! _

 

Her thick accent only added to the beauty of the tune.  The children gathered even closer to her as she sang and then begged for more when she finished.  Shifting his weight, she caught the movement and glanced back at him.

 

“I am certain your parents are wondering where you are.  Go.” They listened, dashing past her and him through the doors behind.  Moving to a step below her, he put them almost level with one another, her still and inch or two shorter even with the advantage.  “Forgive me. They were scared and I did not think it would be good for them….”

 

He held up a hand to silence her, “Do not apologize.”

 

A short silence between them had her wringing her hands between them.  “Have you discovered all that occurred?”

 

His eyes were on her hands and his mind miles away when she asked him, causing him to fumbling a bit to catch up.  “All that…? Oh. Yes. A man in protest planned on bombing Parliament. In the end, he was the only death.”

 

“So many affected by just one man?”

 

Her eyes were on him, confusion and sadness brimming in them.  The amount of care she had for so many was overwhelming. This was a woman who should be allowed to share such wealth and he was being so selfish.

 

“Serena...there is something….”

 

“And it was all so close to you.  So close…”

 

Her arms wrapped around him, squeezing him to the point of discomfort.  “Serena...I need breath…”

 

Her hold loosened but did not disappear.  “When I saw that smoke and Raye told me it was near Parliament.  Darien...I was so….frightened.”

 

He stopped resisting, wrapping his arms around her in return, attempting to comfort her.  “I felt the same, when I heard your voice in the smoke. You shouldn’t have rushed here so recklessly.”

 

Pulling away, he thought she intended to scold him, but instead she planted her lips on his.  Tasting salt, he pressed deeper against her, enjoying the feel of her soft lips on his and the tingle it solicited down to his toes.

 

But he didn’t keep her, letting her pull away when she was ready, arms still wrapped around.  The street lamps caused the tears on her cheeks to glitter on her face, making her appear more unearthly then she already did.  “I am not sorry for coming to your side, Darien. I would do it again with no regrets.”

 

This time, he pressed his lips to hers and she accepted, opening her mouth to suck his bottom lip between hers.  It was nothing like the embrace they shared in the hall, far more chaste. The two moments were separate entities in cause and purpose.  This was caused by their fear of losing one another and its purpose was to promise to never let go. A promise he was more than happy to make to her, over and over again.

 

She pulled away again, a blush appearing under her tears.  He gently wiped them away, releasing her completely before they were seen.  And his timing was impeccable.

 

“Dr. Shields, we will take our leave now.”

 

The three woman that had accompanied his wife here were slowly making their way down the stairs of the stoop, trying to collect Serena as they did.  “Come Serena, we will all go home together.”

 

He stopped the dark haired woman, “Please, let me send you home.”

 

“I am not far from here and neither is Lita.  Amy will stay with me tonight.”

 

“I cannot thank you three enough.  And please, have your Husbands or Fathers call me in the morning to thank them properly as well.”  He quickly dug in his pockets, pulling out all the pounds he had and sharing it with them. “For your trouble.  Sorry it is not more…”

 

“We accept!”  The tall brunette snatched the paper from his hand without shame.

 

Amy, however, hesitated.  “I feel wrong taking your funds for something I was willing to do regardless.”

 

“All the more reason for you to accept it.  And I mean it, have your Fathers or Husbands call me, please.  It is important.”

 

“Serena?  Are you coming with us?”

 

The brunette was eyeing his wife curiously but she waved them all off.  “I am fine. Do not concern yourselves. I live very close to here.”

 

He noted the lack of admission, her not telling any of them who he was to her.  A strange thing to hide given their obvious concern for her. The three disappeared in the night and he returned to his wife’s side.

 

“Would it not been easy to quell their fears?  Tell them you are safe with me?”

 

She placed her hands on his shoulders, now two steps above him.  “If they knew my husband was such a talented Doctor, they would not leave me be until I had you as their tutor.”  She leaned in, getting her face inches from his again but only whispered. “You are my greatest advantage and secret, Dr. Shields.”

 

A grin spread across their faces, “So, you intend to use me?  Take advantage of my knowledge and pass it as your own?”

 

Her hands still on him, she straightened and shrugged.  “Would that be so bad? It was you who said, ‘What is mine is yours’, did you not?”

 

Reaching over, her grabbed her sides, squeezing them and gaining a laugh and she tried to twitch out of his touch.  “Is that how you took my words? Waiting to use them against me?” He kept her from answering, grabbing her off the steps and out of the way as the last of the people inside his practice left for home.  “Let’s go home, Wife.”

 

Locking up, he pulled her into his side, sneaking in a few tickles to her side along the way and she did not pull away from his touch.  Her laughter lighting up the way.

 

OoOoO

 

The afternoons were starting to get warmer, and she was thankful for it as she was growing wary of winter.  The trees along the way were close to blooming, a red tint from their growth was on their limbs. It was a rare, bright and sunny day in March for London weather.  Even with the weather fine, she was still on edge.

 

The small sack in her hands, she handled it with care as she found the way to Darien’s office.  It was proving to be a little difficult, having only been shown the way and never actually traveling it till today.  She had many reasons for her visit today past bringing her husband lunch but it was the sack in her hands that caused her nerves.

 

When her classmates’ families called, Darien was ever so kind as to other the girls a fellowship at his practice.  He assured her it was due to their initiative and talent, not that they were her friends. She still thought it best to not mention her relation to the man who offered them the opportunity, lest they think it was favoritism.  She had listened to them gush the next time in class so she was taking it upon herself to pay visit.

 

Stepping inside, the place looked vastly different from when she was there last.  But, that had been during a crisis. It was nice to see the place when not in chaos.  White tile on the floors that were clean and pristine, not covered in soot and blood. Soft colored wood on the walls and light colored wood for the furniture.  The sofas in the waiting room were not what she remembered at all, the old ones having been replaced from the stains they received.

 

No one stopped her as she wondered around the large house, it was twice the size of the one she lived in but the space was far more needed here.  Finding the stairs, she quietly traveled to the second floor, a few passing softly by with quick warm smiles her way.

 

“Serena?”

 

Making it to the landing, she turned to the voice, smiling without fear to her friend.  “Lita, how are you?”

 

“Did you come all the way to visit?  Or are you ill?”

 

“Visit.”

 

“Serena, nice to see you!”  Amy said, coming to her side.

 

“Is Raye here as well?”

 

Lita looked around, her sight going over most.  “She’s around somewhere...ah!”

 

Lita waved the dark girl over, darker with the frown on her face.  “Good afternoon Raye. How are you all enjoying your work here?”

 

Amy actually gushed, “It is so thrilling!!  I am learning so much!”

 

“Yes, it was so kind of Dr. Shields to offer us this opportunity.  He should have offered it to you as well, Serena?”

 

She quickly shrugged, “I guess I did not impress.”

 

“Nonsense, you are very talented Serena.”  Amy mothered, patting her shoulder gently.

 

“Maybe you should have spent less time playing with children…”  Raye grumbled.

 

Lita wrapped an arm around her, pulling her away from the grumpy woman.  “Pay no mind to her, Serena. You were great!”

 

Raye’s face twisted with guilt.  “Yes, forgive me. I am agitated, yet I should not take it out on you, Serena.”

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

Rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, Raye looked every bit the over privileged girl she grew up as.  “I am getting tired of a certain patient that’s all. Every week, she shows up and refuses treatment from anyone but Dr. Shields.”

 

Lita scoffed, “Ms. Beryl is here today?”

 

“I think her issue is psychological.  Not physical.” Amy whispered as if someone where listening.

 

“Oh no, it’s physical.  Between her and Dr. Shields that is.”  Raye muttered but they all heard.

 

She remained silent, stunned to it.  Amy looked almost as stunned as her. “But...he’s married is he not?”

 

“Aye, to some poor naive girl it would seem.  Everyone talks about him and Ms. Beryl. How she comes once a week at least for her...fix.”

 

Lita’s words had her heart pounding painful in her chest.  She did not want to ask, did not want to know, but she had to.  “What do you mean ‘fix’?”

 

Raye leaned in, whispering.  “They have sex, Serena. What I told you about a few weeks ago about a husband and wife?  Dr. Shields is putting that part of his body into Ms. Beryl’s once a week!!”

 

Amy, in a brazen show, shoved Raye lightly.  “Do not say such things! You know not if they are founded in truth and Serena is very impressionable!!”

 

“And you’re not?”  Lita smirked.

 

Raye pointed, her eyes following unwittingly.  “Take a look yourselves.”

 

At the end of Raye’s finger was Darien, walking out of one of the rooms, a woman following close behind.  She was beautiful; tall and plump. Her curves were visible in the dress she wore, white with black stripes going down her shape.  And if there was any question, her breast hung out the neckline with ease. Her blood red hair was hard to miss too, twisted up off her long neck to sit on top of her head.

 

Ms. Beryl walked their way, a mature saunter as she swayed her hips with a curl on the edge of her lips.  She spotted them, the curl turning to a grin as she started down the stairs, a hand flicking up to her hair to fix a spot that was out of place.

 

Her eyes went back to Darien, him in conversation with another doctor.  Finishing, the other man walked away and his eyes found hers. It was hard to deny the flutter her heart did when he smiled at the sight of her.  He was making his way to them now unimpeded, his face lacking any guilt or shame like someone who had been seen with his mistress by his wife should hold.

 

“Amy, Lita, Raye good to see you.  Serena, what are you doing here?”

 

Lita grabbed her again, hugging her tight.  “She came to visit us! Isn’t she the sweetest!”

 

Raye added her arm to hers, looping it around.  “Yes, Dr. Shields you really should have her here with us!  She is one of the top students in our class at the University.”  

 

Darien smirked, shaking his head at them.  “I am sad to say, that will never happen.”

 

Her breath caught in her throat, her wide eyes going unnoticed by her husband.  “May I be so bold as to ask why?”

 

Amy was just innocent and concerned as were they all.  And now Darien was about to unknowingly make things bad for all of them.  “It would reflect favoritism. And I give her too much of that already.”

 

Reaching over, he took her hand and plucked her from their hold, pulling her away.  She turned to look back, finding their shocked faces and she mouthed her apologies to them over and over again.

 

Darien didn’t release her until he had the door to his office closed behind them.  “Is that for me?”

 

He was pointing at the sack she still had tight in her hold.  “It was, but now I am considering taking it back!!”

 

“You are cross?”  He seemed genuinely confused.

 

“Yes, of course I am!  Why did you reveal me to them?”

 

“What exactly did I reveal?”

 

“That I am your wife!!”

 

He sat heavily behind his desk.  “You still kept that from them? Why?!”

 

“I did not want them to think anything of their fellowships.”

 

“Serena, it has been weeks now.  Any and all possibilities of favoritism have long since been forgotten.  They are here on their merit and skill, nothing more.”

 

She dropped the sack on his desk and turned to leave.  “Fine. If that is what you think then I care not who knows.”

 

The sound of his chair scraping the floor was heard behind her but she did not dare look back.  “You are still angry? Was it really that big of a secret?” He grabbed her arm, stopping her from reaching the door.  “Are you ashamed of me?”

 

Getting herself free of his hold was easy, him not holding her hard.  “Who else knows? Your colleagues? Your friends? How many know of your marriage?”

 

“All of them.  They all knew that I married before I said my vows.  And they would all know to whom if this was not your first visit here…”

 

“Who else?  Your patients?  Does…” She wanted to say it, to ask ‘Does Ms. Beryl know’ but she couldn’t get the words to leave her throat.

 

He raised his hand but not to touch her, to show her, holding it flat with his fingers spread apart.  “See this?” The gold band she had placed on his finger all those months ago sat unmoved from the spot.  “I wear it all day every day. I never take it off.” Dropping the hand, he used it to grab hers, his fingers touching and twisting the ring she wore on her finger from that day.  “Just as you do, correct? If anyone ever had any question or doubt, it answers it for me.” He tilted his head to the side, looking her over while she dropped his gaze, focusing on his chest as she gave him a nod.  As usual, he tilted her eyes back up to his with a finger under her chin. “I am afraid I cannot tell what angers you. Knowing or not knowing?”

 

Holding his gaze, she answered honestly.  “Not knowing.” Keeping the hand he held, he pulled them both towards the door.  “What about your lunch?”

 

“I will eat it later.”

 

The next hour was spent with Darien introducing her to each and every person in the practice.  Even his partner, a man she had heard plenty of from his wife but never met in person before. “I will tell Mina to expect a call from you soon.”

 

Darien was gently pulling her away, still holding the same hand as before having never let it go.  “Please do. Pleasure to meet you.” Darien’s office was before them again, having gone a full circle of the practice.  “We should have them both over for dinner.”

 

“I will let my darling wife set that up.”

 

A giggle escaped her and he came to a stop, facing her with his door to his side.  “You are in a better mood. I am glad.”

 

Tentatively, she reached over and took his other hand in hers.  Large and rough, she marveled at the difference in size and feeling from that of Sloan’s.  She had only ever held Sloan’s hands, small and smooth. Darien was the only man she had ever kissed and so had no comparison.  But holding his hands? Even the small gesture had her heart racing and yet made her feel safe at the same time. Even with the size difference, his fingers did not bother when threaded with hers.

 

She had been watching their hands, noting the differences in size and color and how their wedding bands stood out on their skin when they disappeared from sight.  Placing both their hands at the small of her back, he kept hold of her, bending their arms around her. It effectively pulled her to him, him holding her hands and her at the same time.

 

A loud gasp escaped from the unexpected affection and the public display.  Darien did not lessen his hold, bending over her to touch his lips to her cheek.  Even with anyone and everyone to see, she found herself leaning into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed.

 

“You are mine and I am yours.  Never forget that, Serena.”

 

His whispered words tickled her ear all the way to her toes.  He had uncoiled and released her hands by the time she opened her eyes again.  A toothy grin on his face, he looked every bit the fool she felt, getting caught up in his touch like that.

 

She did her best to slip away unnoticed by all, not looking anyone in the face as she passed.  Although, no one had been in sight when she pulled herself completely from Darien, she still felt as if every eye was on her as she left.  Her mind told her it was due to her just going around with her husband and all now knowing her face. But her heart still raced with thoughts of his breath on her skin and feared they would see it on her face.

 

Home in sight, she picked up her pace, the sun slowly starting to set in the distance as she climbed the stairs and shut the door behind her.  Barely in the door, Mrs. Moon grabbed her.

 

“Your Cousin has been waiting for you for hours, Serena.”

 

“Cousin?  I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

 

Mrs. Moon still dragged her, releasing her when she faced the gardens.  And Sloan.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I seriously don't know what the deal is with the formatting here. It doesn't do this with PM. I basically paste it and then have to go back and remove the extra spacing in between paragraph breaks. Whatever. Here is the next chapter so I hope you enjoy!!
> 
> Betaed by Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and SailorMoon489!
> 
> If you haven't already, check out my other current fic, Poisoned Mind. That is if you are into Dark Endy tropes and angst with a little fluff and lemons. Like....a butt-load of lemons.

**Chapter 6**

 

“Sloan, my dear Cousin.  What brings you so far from your home to mine?”

He had his hands behind his back, hidden from her but she still found her mind comparing them to Darien’s without seeing them.  “I think you know why I have come.”

“I do not pretend to know.”

“I have secured a position and a home on the edge of town.  I now hail from London, the same as you.”

Her heart was picking up its pace.  But not in a manner that was pleasant like Sloan used to give her.  “You have, have you?”

“Your father did not tell you?  Perhaps he told your husband and was thus kept from you?”

“Darien is not the type.  He does not keep things from me.”

Sloan jaw clenched at her words.  Or the informal title she used for her husband, having only called him Dr. Shields before.  “I have had many discussions with your father since your visit at Christmas. And he has agreed to help dissolve this sham of a marriage.”

“My father said no such thing!!”

“It is the truth!  If you wish it, then we will aid you and get you away from this man!”

“Stop it!  Stop talking as if you know him!  Darien is a good man and does not deserve to be spoken of as if a criminal!!”

“Isn’t he though?  He stole you from me, stole our future together!”  He took one too many steps closer to her and forced her to take one step back.  “Have you forgotten, Serena? How we always planned to be together? Even as children?  I was your Prince, coming to take you away to a faraway land?”

Hands in front of her, she took to twisting her wedding band on her finger, looking at the ground.  “We were, as you said, children. Who even knows what we said.”

“I do!  I remember it all and I know you do as well.  Tell me the name of the place we were to flee to?  I know you still remember its name.”

“Do you?”

She was watching him, his face twisting as his lips screwed in scorn.  “I asked you.”

Releasing a sigh, she found the ground again.  “Gaeilge.”

“That’s right, Gaeilge.”

Her mouth set in a grim line, she challenged him further.  “You never cared for my stories before. Even when we were young, you never played along or even remembered any of the stories.  Why would you use it now?”

“Because you have forgotten!  Forgotten our hopes and dreams!”

Her agitation made her twitch, dropping her hands to the side and stomping her foot.  “I have not forgotten! I dreamed of travel. Of an education and of not feeling trapped!  To be free to let my dreams live and thrive for all my days!”

“Did you not also dream of being loved and of loving someone in return?  Was that not the most important part of your life to you?”

“I do love him!  I love Darien!!”

Her hands slapped to her mouth too late, the words getting thrown out into the void before she even understood them fully.  Now, Sloan was the first to hear them, instead of the one that should. “You don’t mean that and I know it. He has given you a grand life and soon, you will come to your senses when you realize that he is just a cold man clinging to a single breath of life.  Your life, Serena. He will try to squash it and take it as his own soon. And I will be here to save you from his grasp. I promise.”

He tried to touch her as he walked past, her turning and twisting from him to avoid.  Sloan took it all in stride, not breaking from his exit but not taking it as quickly as she would have liked.  Her words fell flat, all that she had said to him did little to deter him. Which she found vexing, him listening to every word of her father when told of her engagement but never to her when she wanted peace in her marriage.  Had he ever listened to her? He spoke of her dreams but what did he really know of them?

Any time she spoke of bettering herself, he shot her down.  When she spoke of her stories, he nodded off to sleep. The only time he had ever shown her real interest and encouragement had been when they first met, playing into her game.  She had been six then but he played it with her again when he returned, her eight and him nine. A year of difference, it would not be so strange to play along with her then. Not seeing him again till she was fourteen, it was too much to ask of a young man of fifteen to play games of her imagination.  These were things she had come to terms with years ago and yet now, she wondered why she ever did?

The differences between Sloan and Darien were starting to become painstakingly clear.

OoOoO

He had taken to kissing Serena whenever he could, and he liked it, especially when she kissed him.

Mornings he would wait for her at the breakfast table.  She would go around his paper, cup his cheek, and brush her lips across his before sitting and eating next to him.  He would grab her and kiss her again before he left for work. She would greet him on his return, getting up on her tiptoes to plant her mouth on his for a respectable minute.  Then she waited for him to leave for bed. No matter where he had been or how late, she waited in the living room for him to walk her to bed. There, outside her door, he kissed her good night.  It was his favorite kiss as it lacked any propriety the others did.

Her back to the door, she would lean up to him.  His hand on her cheek, he guided her as both of them expected it every night.  Slow and soft, her mouth teased his. Sometimes, her tongue flicked across his bottom lip, causing him to part both their mouths and ravage her.

Tonight was that exception, her weight against him as her arms circled his neck.  Their tongues danced between each others’ mouths, occasionally licking teeth or lips.  It was times like this, he felt like he wanted to consume her, pull her in as deeply as he could to himself.  Impossible, he still tried. Clutching her tightly to him, already dreading when they would part for the night.

Their embrace was growing in length as it had every night, both of them putting off parting longer and longer.  But tonight, Serena pulled from him, gently pushing on his hold to lessen but not end. “Mina was over today.”

He groaned.  “I wondered when you were going to bring this up.”

“So you know then? About the theatre tickets?”

Shifting his weight but maintained his hold, he took his perturbed face and pointed it to the wall behind them.  “Andrew may have mentioned them in passing today.”

A light smack came to his shoulder, his attention returning to her.  “You knew all this time? Through dinner? And you said nothing??”

She was clearly upset, showing him how much she did not like being kept in the dark, even about theatre tickets.  “I was giving you the chance to tell me.”

“Liar!  You were hoping I would not bring it up or forget!!”

“Serena...there is something we should discuss…”

“Oh no, you don’t!  You are not getting out of this.  Just for trying, we are going! So be here, six on the dot Mister!!”

Escaping his hold, she shut her door in his face, leaving him stunned in the hall.

OoOoO

Standing in front of the glass, she stared at herself.  Never had she considered herself a vain person but she couldn’t stop looking herself over.  This was by far the most time she had ever spent in front of the glass and that included her wedding day.

She was sure her gown was no longer in style, having bought it back when she was 17 for a formal a town over.  Mina assured her it was fine, but the tight bodice and tiny puffed sleeves left her unsure.

Mrs. Moon entered, giving one knock before and stopped halfway in the room.  “Oh my…”

“It’s old fashioned…”

“No no you look...stunning.”

Turning back to herself, she fluffed the folds of her skirt, the dark silk reflecting the soft sunlight from her windows.  Mrs. Moon adjusted her hair, pulling strands away from her face and twisting them to the back of her head. The rest fell down her back and shoulders hiding some of her exposed skin.

Mrs. Moon stood at her side, a hand on her back and an affectionate smile on her face.  “Pink really is your color, dear.”

It matched the pink hew of her blush from Mrs. Moon’s cooing.  The real question was, would her husband agree? “Where is Darien?”

“He is waiting for you downstairs.  I was sent to collect you.” Mrs. Moon chuckled lightly.  Her hands shook and Mrs. Moon caught it, grabbing both hands in hers.  “You will be fine.”

She held tight to Mrs. Moon as long as she could, having to take the stairs alone.  Darien stood at the bottom, his attention elsewhere thankfully, something Mrs. Moon rectified before she reached the bottom.  She watched his face as his mouth went slack, his lips parting slightly only for breath to pass as he said nothing.

Frozen, he did not move until she stood before him, acting as if waking from a dream and shaking his head.  A moment later, he held out her coat for her and then offered her his arm. Leading her towards the door, he suddenly stopped and dug into his pocket, a small box in his hand when he held it out to her.

“Here.  I meant to give this to you on Valentine’s Day, but Anatomy distracted us.”

She could not stop the small shiver she had at his words, wondering if it had been intentional.  Slowly taking the box in her hand, she opened it to find a beautiful jeweled hair comb. Pinks and purples shaped to look like a rose.

Darien gently took it from her and placed it in her hair for her.  “There, it matches your dress and envies your beauty.”

OoOoO

Her coat on was a little better, but she took it off again when they arrived at the theatre.  Mina and Andrew found them shortly after, greeting them kindly. Andrew was saying something to him but he really heard none of it, too busy focusing on his wife.

In her excitement, her surroundings were lost on her, not noting the many eyes that followed her along with his own.  It also caused her chest to rise and fall more than usual, the neckline of her gown only accentuating that more.

Taking her arm again, he kept her close while Mina and Andrew walked beside them, the foursome making for their seats.  Mina was going on in length about the play. He caught a few things here and there, it was by a George Bernard Shaw and called A Man in Arms.  Other than it being a comedy he paid little attention to Mina or the play.

Her hand rested on top of his, laying her arm over his on the armrest and her attention was fully on the play while he cursed the long white gloves she wore.  He watched her; every widening of her eyes, intake of breath, laugh, and even joyful tear he watched it all. He almost missed the standing ovation, Serena’s hand ripping from his and standing quickly.  Joining the masses, he rose and gave applause. Shaw himself stood on the stage, taking his credit. One man sitting closer to the stage than them ‘booed’ and Serena gasped.

"My dear fellow, I quite agree with you, but what are we two against so many?"

The crowd cheered Shaw’s jeer at the man, the displeased patron sneaking off to hide.

The ride home was short, Serena leaning against him as they rocked gently home.  “Thank you for taking me tonight, Darien.”

Her hands wrapped around his bicep tight, her head on his shoulder but this way, he couldn’t look at her.  “I was under the impression I had no choice.”

Giving him a squeeze, she continued.  “I have never been to the theatre before.”

“And how did you find it?”  He asked through his smirk.

“I loved it, even if my husband found it a bore.”

He chuckled and she smacked him lightly on his chest.  “I suppose we will have to go more often then.”

She sat up, looking at him while her hold remained on his arm.  “Really?!”

“If you enjoyed it that much….”

“But you didn’t…”

“I enjoyed it enough.  You make it worth it.”

Her lips pressed to his cheek and she fell back to his shoulder.  A few of her strands tickled his cheek but it did not detract from the warm wet kiss she had placed on it seconds ago.

Helping her from the carriage was safe enough, her coat tightly closed.  But once in the house, she removed it, of course, and made for the stairs.  Turning, she waited for him to follow, but he felt stuck in his spot. Not once did he not find her beautiful but tonight, it was as if she was bathed in a magical spring that amplified what was already there.  At least at their wedding, she had been determined to keep her distance and he was busy trying to remain calm. Now, she expected him to follow her upstairs and kiss her goodnight.

“Serena...I think you should just...go to bed tonight.”

Her head cocked to the side, the smile she wore shrinking a little.  “Are you not coming with me?”

He knew what she meant but it still had his blood rushing through his body.  “I...I have a few things….some work to do before. Left the office early so I have a few more things to finish up.”

“Oh...I understand.  Then….goodnight.”

Turning slowly from him, he watched her ascend without him.  Wanting to follow more than anything, but knowing he would not be able to contain himself if he did, he stayed put.  Standing just outside her bedroom door night after night was challenge enough, but worth it. He in no way wanted to jeopardize that, not when they had come so far.  And not when he still had so much to tell her.

OoOoO

Darien was still acting odd in the morning, their usual embraces feeling strained as if he no longer desired them.  She wasn’t sure what she had done, did he really hate the theatre so much? Or was it the play itself? A comedy about war, maybe Darien was offended and did not care for how she carried on?

But then why did he offer to put his discomfort aside to take her again?

Everything went pear-shaped when they arrived home, him not wanting to go to bed with her.  This was nothing new, their saying goodnight to one another in such a manner. It felt as if there was more to tell than just about their days and how they enjoyed the weather.

He was keeping something from her.

When he didn’t come home for dinner, she decided it was time he came clean.  Never the type to wait around, she went straight to the source. The late hour had the practice almost vacant, passing only a few souls as she wandered the halls.

Voices came from another hall and she followed the sound.  She heard his laugh and was sure of his current location but her heart was not prepared for what she saw.  There was her husband….with his arms around Ms. Beryl.

OoOoO

“I am so sorry to keep you, Dr. Shields.”

“It is alright, Ms. Beryl.”

That was a lie.  Because of this woman, he had missed dinner with his wife and he really needed to have a serious conversation with her.  Very serious.

“You are too good to me, you know that Doctor?”

She giggled and he laughed out of politeness, hoping she would hurry this along now.  “Excuse me Ms. Beryl, but I really should be getting…”

Her arms flew around his neck while the rest of her threatened to press up against him.  With haste, he put his hands on her hips to push her back. “Oh, I am so sorry, Doctor. My shoelace has come undone it seems.  Forgive me.”

She was leaning into him so he pushed her back further till she was standing on her own.  “Quite alright. Make sure to tie it tight before you leave. Good Evening.”

Doing his best to be calm, he moved as quickly as possible without it being obvious until he was safe in his office.  Against his door, he listened as her heels came up and past his door before daring to come out again.

Getting stopped a few more times along the way, he was finally on his way home.  However, as soon as he stepped inside his door, he felt the gray cloud that managed to hang over the entire house.  Mrs. Moon’s scowl a sign that something was wrong.

“Mrs. Moon?”

Standing at the midway landing of the stairs, she crossed her arms and grimaced.  “I hope you can keep her from leaving this time, Darien. I truly do.”

He was confused but focused on ‘her’ and ‘leaving’ and knew to fly up his stairs.  Her door stood open so he did not knock, finding her filling a suitcase as quickly as she could.  The sheer amount of anger he felt at the sight had him grabbing and tossing the damn thing across the room, her clothes spilling out as her suitcase twisted in the air.

Jumping back, she recovered from her shock quickly and found anger that matched his.  “What are you doing??!”

“Is it not clear?  I am leaving!”

Stomping past him, she began picking up the mess he made while he slammed her door shut.  “Like hell you are. I miss one dinner and you want to run out on me again??” Her focus was on the clothes, stooping down and picking up piece after piece and ignoring him.  Lacking his usual gentleness with her, he yanked her up and forced her to face him. “Answer me, dammit!”

Her wide eyes settled quickly, her grimace returning.  “You missed dinner but I did not miss you and Ms. Beryl!”

Releasing her, she took a step away from him.  “What are you talking about? Did you come to my practice tonight?  Serena, she is just a patient…”

“So you hold all your patients like that?  Laugh at their jokes and stare at them? Do all your patients need to fix their hair after they visit you?”

“Serena…”

“First you tell me you never wanted to get married and then you tell me you married me for the sake of my family’s reputation.  Why did you not just let me leave?? Let me go so you could be with her if that is what you truly want?? I won’t pretend to know all that you have been to Ms. Beryl so...just...let me go now before you break the law more than you already have.  Please.”

“Is that what you want?  Do you want me to let you go??”

She turned away from him, hiding whatever emotion was displayed on it.  “I do not want to be someone’s burden. To be in a loveless marriage in which only bitterness grows.”

He turned her back to him, refusing to let her hide.  “Do you love me?”

It wasn’t right of him to ask but he did anyway, watching as her face twisted, it skewed as she tried to force the frown off her face through her tears.  Silence was his answer and he found it more than fair. There was still so much he had never told her.

“I told you I never wanted to get married but the truth is, I never wanted to get married unless it was you.”  His small admission earned her eyes, furrowed in confusion, so he continued. “You don’t remember but we met when you were six.  I was 14. My father had just passed and, being an old and dear friend, your father had me come for a visit. And there you were; bouncing, beautiful, ball of untamed light.  No one had made me feel like you did, shining your light right into my soul.” Even in his turmoil, he couldn’t help but laugh at the memory, “You called me your Prince and I told you I would take you to a faraway land called…”

“Gaeilge…”

Her eyes were as wide as a dinner plate, unable to believe her own memories.  “You remember?”

“Of course I do...but that was not you.  That was my Cousin, Sloan.”

“Is that….is that what he told you???!!”

She started to pace before him, “Yes, because it was him!  He spoke of us getting married and knew all my stories!!”

“Did he?  Or did you tell him them?  God, I thought you had forgotten our past, not that it had been stolen!!”

She was shaking, coming to a stop in front of him.  “It was him, it was Sloan!!”

He grabbed her shoulders, afraid she might drop to the floor if he didn’t.  “It took me two years to make it back to you, but you remembered, running up and jumping into my arms.  You told me you missed your Prince and begged me to take you with me when I left. But I told you no, because…”

“Gaeilge was a far away place and I would miss my family…”

“And that I would come for you when you were 18.  That I would marry you and make you my Queen then.”

Her eyes fell to the floor, then she started shaking her head.  “He lied to me….for years!”

“Did you never wonder why I changed so much in those few years?  He looks nothing like me!”

“He has your hair!”  Her head popped up, meeting his eyes, and she looked at them as if seeing them for the first time.  “I was young and I mixed memories with dreams. But your eyes...I thought I dreamed that too.”

Taking his hands from her shoulders, he grabbed her elbows instead, pulling her closer to him.  “I waited, all those years for you, waited till you were 18 like I promised and I had planned to let you go if that was what you wanted.  But when I saw you on those stairs….I wanted a chance to make you love me like you did when we were children. Believe me when I tell you, it will be hard, but I will let you go if that is what you really want.

Tears fell without end down her face.  Every time she blinked, they gushed out of her lashes and down her face.  “Is that what you want?”

He tried to control his breathing and his heart, both frantic as she dodged the question.  “I was clear with my intentions. From the very start, I have been clear with you on what I wanted.  Now you need to tell me what you want.”

“I….I want…”  It felt as it every muscle in his body was going to burst, her trying to kill him with anticipation.  “I want to be your Queen and run away to Gaeilge.”

He yanked her again, this time to him, crushing his mouth to hers and licking the salt off her lips.  She held tight to his shirt, taking in flesh with her nails in her haste to get a hold on him. He lost his hold on her mouth, her pushing him just far enough away to keep him from them.

“What about Ms. Beryl?  Your entire practice thinks the two of you are involved.”

He gave her a gentle shake but she kept her eyes to his chest and her lips from him.  “What do you think?”

Releasing her, just to pull her face back to his, she wore a small blush and smile.  “I think my Prince would never be unfaithful.”

“Never have, never will be.”

He molded them together with her aid, them crushing each other together.  Pulling her from the floor, he had her at his height and her legs wrapped around him as a result.  The locks on his gates were dissolving quickly. Especially with her hands in his hair, tugging on his strands.  Then her mouth left his, her taking her mouth along his jaw.

“Serena…”

As gently as possible, he plucked her from him and set her back to the floor.  Her hands returned their hold to his shirt, a death grip on him. “Will...you not stay with me?”

Her eyes were on her hands on his chest again.  “Do you know what you are asking me?”

“I...I am asking...for us to finalize this marriage.”

He pulled her up to his gaze, her face bright red.  “Is that what you want?” She nodded and he pulled from her touch, going to the door.  “Get changed.”

“Darien?”

“I will be back...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know...I'm mean. But hey, I promise a lemon next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, once I pop that lemon cherry, I tend to keep it...coming. So expect at least one a chapter from here on out!
> 
> Thanks, betas Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and SailorMoon489!
> 
> And thank you to all who have read, kudoed, and commented. I really appreciate the love. I write for me and what I enjoy and want to read but it is so nice to know there are others who enjoy it as well!!

* * *

 

_12 years ago…._

_Papa was crying.  She had never seen him cry in all her life.  Not when her sister Greer was born and not when he was kicked off his mare.  Now he sat, alone in his study, the lights low and his face in his palms. Momma had said Papa needed some time, but she was curious as to what could make a man like her Papa cry and what it looked like._

_She was trying to sneak, but he caught her.  Instead of angry, he called her to him and she climbed into his lap.  “Why are you so sad Papa?”_

_“Someone has died, firefly.  A dear friend of mine. We grew up together here.  Even went to Cambridge together.” At her cocked head and confused brow, he chuckled slightly.  “School, Firefly. A place with a lot of books that is full of knowledge.”_

_“I wanna go!!”_

_“And go you shall one day, Firefly.  If any woman could make it to University, it is you.”  He shifted her in his lap, turning back to his desk to write.  “I am asking his son to stop by for a visit. The funeral will be here in town so I am offering our home to him and his Mother.  You will be nice to him, won’t you Firefly?”_

_“As long as he is nice to me!”_

OoOoO

 

_It was a small house but it still loomed before him.  The last place he wanted to be was at some house in a tiny low wage town with some guy that knew his father once.  His father was dead, what good was an old friend now._

_Mother at his side, she, not so gently, pushed him along.  The house was dark inside, dark woods and dark windows. It made him feel like he was in a box._

_Leaving him behind, Mother was swept away by the woman of the house, a man waiting for her in their sitting room.  It was all so small, he was struggling to breathe._

_Planning an escape, he bypassed the sitting room and slipped down the hall only to be stopped short.  He knew the house was strange, too dark and pokie to be normal. It explained the gremlin that smiled up at him._

_She must have used some of her magic powers, pulling him outside with her until they stood in a field of impossibly tall grass.  Clouds hid the sun on their journey, but now removed themselves, making the grass shine like gold. The gremlin hid somewhere within it.  He was starting to think he lost her when she leaped from her hiding spot onto his chest. In the summer sun, she had transformed. Gone was the gremlin and now was a sprite._

_Her hold on him was tight, her weight unexpected and knocking him back.  The air in his lungs rushed out and he struggled for several moments to gain it back.  All the while, she sat on his chest watching him._

_“You are very handsome.”_

_The first words she had spoken and he was breathless.  Her little voice like bells with her sweet accent. It reminded him of his father._

_“Are you a Prince?”_

_Taking a deep breath, he finally managed to fill his lungs, but she had already made up her mind._

_“You are a Prince are you not?  That is why Papa said to be nice to you!”_

_“Your father said that?”_

_Cocking her head to the side, rose gold ringlets bouncing as they fell off her shoulders, she brightened even more with a smile.  “But how could I not be nice to you?”_

_Her big eyes felt like they could swallow him whole, filled to the brim with her innocence.  “You do not seem the type to be cruel to anyone.”_

_Her mouth spread open, a toothy grin on it, and she fell down on him to crush his neck in her hold.  “My Prince knows me so well!!!”_

_The first chuckle in weeks bubbled in his throat and she was the cause.  “Of course, Sprite.”_

_“My name is not Sprite, it is Serena!”_

_Sitting up, she crossed her arm over her little chest in indignation and he laughed.  It caused her to bounce on his chest, a giggle coming from her in response. “Well Serena, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”_

OoOoO 

_No matter how hard she held onto him, he was still leaving, his Mother telling him repeatedly it was time for them to go._

_Prying her hands off his arm, her Prince held them in his.  “Serena, I have to go now. It is time for me to go home.”_

_“Is your home not here?”_

_“No, it is far away.  A place called...Gaeilge.”_

_“Can’t I go with you?!”_

_“Not this time.  I will come back for you.  I promise.”_

OoOoO

_Two years and the house looked the same.  He had no clue if the girl was the same or if she would even remember him.  Mr. Badar was happy to have him return. Soon he would be studying to be a Doctor, so no one had to pass of such a painful disease like his father ever again.  It was his goal._

_It would be his last trip before he went away to school and Mother stayed home to prepare for his departure.  Whatever the state of his Serena, he would make the most of his week with her, the Sprite that stole his heart._

_As he remembered, the house was dark and oddly empty.  Wandering his way into Mr. Badar’s study, he found the man bent over his desk.  Taking a few moments to notice his presence, the man jumped up at the sight of him._

_“Darien!  My boy it has been years!  We were expecting you yesterday..”_

_“My train was delayed.  I apologize.”_

_“It’s quite alright boy.  Serena was disappointed but you are a busy man!”_

_“Where is she?”_

_He frowned, “She disappeared early this morning.  She is good at disappearing.”_

_Making a polite exit, he backed out of the study and the house, hoping to be able to find her by memory.  The grass was still just as tall, but he was taller now, his head popping over the top of it. Bright green and thick, he pushed his way through until he found her._

_On her belly, a small book before her that she scribbled in, he approached.  He went unnoticed, but not for long, a twig snapping loudly underfoot. She twisted, finding him quickly and he watched as her face turned from sadness to joy.  Her eyes widened and her mouth pulled at the edges._

_She was in his arms before he could think of anything but her eyes and he fell to the ground from her weight again.  Her arms were tight around his neck, him struggling to breathe. “My Prince! You came back!!!”_

_“I told you I would.”_

_Pulling away, she looked down at him, the sun shining on her golden hair and making it look on fire.  “Have you come to take me away this time?”_

_“And how exactly would I do that?”_

_She rolled her eyes at him, “By making me your bride of course!”_

_“Is...is that what you want?”_

_Rolling off of him, she laid by his side, eyes to the sky.  “Of course. You and I will go to Gaeilge together and I will be your Queen.”_

_Her strands still lingered on his chest and he picked them up, playing with them and enjoying their softness.  “You are far too young for that now.”_

_Her head turned to him, large blue eyes on his.  “But someday I will be. And you will come for me then?”_

_“....When you are 18.”_

_“18?  That is so long from now!”_

_“Gaeilge is a long ways from here, Serena.  You will not see your family as you please there.  So enjoy your time with them now while you can.”_

_A smile for an answer, she turned back to the sky.  “I want to go to University too.”_

_“You do?  Why?”_

_“Because!  They have lots of books and knowledge that they give to you there.  I want to learn all there is in this world.”_

_“All?  No man or woman alive can say they know all that is in this world.”_

_“Then I will settle for some of it.  Whatever I can get!”_

_His chuckle returned, having been in hiding since he last saw her.  “Then I will make sure you can get it.”_

OoOoO

_Hand in hand, they snuck away from the living room where Mother, Papa, Greer, and baby Kyla were relaxing after dinner.  Staying close to her, she pulled him up the stairs and to her room. Only once they were safe inside and the door closed did she breathe._

_“Come over here, my Prince.  I shall show it to you.”_

_“Serena, is this a good idea?”_

_“You said you wanted to know and I am the only one who can show you so come here before I lose my nerve!”_

_Sitting at her desk, she dug out her small treasure as her Prince sat on her bed.  Turning, she held it out for him to take before she could change her mind. Delicate fingers took her book, opening the pages and reading.  She watched in silence as his eyes went back and forth over the words until she could take it no more and began to pace._

_“Is this all about me?”_

_Looking back, she found his eyes on her, questioning.  “Of course.”_

_Calming under his stare and smile, she sat next to him.  “It is very good.”_

_“Thank you.”_

_“May I...add to it?”_

OoOoO

_Laying on her bed, he spouted out tales of Gaeilge, a place he had made up on a whim for a six year old girl.  But Serena had made it into a real place in her mind. Her imagination was boundless and impressive._

_Filling a few pages with his words, she started to droop, as did he.  Finding her ear, he whispered to her. “Serena, you should know my real name.”_

_“I know your name.”  She mumbled._

_“You need to write it down...remember it.”_

_“I will never forget you….”_

_“Serena...I have to go away….and I won’t be able to return.”_

_“You will return for me….”_

_He chuckled, “Yes, years from now I will return for you.  But you will need to know who I am when I do. At least my name.”_

_“...I will remember….my Prince.”_

_Laying down, he did not know what was best.  To let her remain in her fantasy, or pop her bubble.  She was still young, she could continue to live in that world if she wanted.  He would not be the one to take it away from her. But he would keep his promise to her and return for her.  And try to let her go if she no longer wanted to be his Queen._

OoOoO

She was sitting at her armor, pulling a brush through her long locks when he returned.  Placing a small knock on her door, she made no move or sound to answer it, knowing he would enter anyway.  He had waited in his room, giving her the time he thought she would need to prepare herself before coming back to her.  Removing his coat and tie, he remained in his shirt and slacks. 

Neither of them said a word so he went and sat on the bed to wait some more, his heart pounding hard in his chest.  He heard her movements, looking to her as she made her way to him. Her gossamer nightgown floated around her, sticking to her front and showing the shape of her breast and thighs to him.  Causing his mouth to go dry.

Now, standing before him, she twisted her wedding band on her finger but said nothing.  Reaching over, he took her hand from her hold and pulled her to stand between his legs. Looking her in her eyes, she soon bent down and kissed him, his eyes closing for the second it lasted.

“I love you, Darien.”

He smirked at her.  “Now that you know who I am….”

“No.  I loved you before that.  I knew I loved you the day of the bomb but loved you long before then.  You, not the Prince. I loved you as a child and I love you now as your wife.”

One hand on her hip, the other on her cheek, he found himself shivering at her words.  “And I love you.”

She bent down again to kiss him and he rose to meet her lips, turning her so her back was to the bed.  He broke away, slipping his fingers around the straps of her gown and tugged them off her shoulders. Once gravity took hold, he let go, letting it fall around her feet in a heap.  Carefully laying her on the bed, he stood back to look her over. Wearing only the ring on her finger, her body bore not a single blemish. Milky white skin, pert breast, flat stomach, curly hairs that matched the hair on her head, and long thin legs and arms she truly was a Sprite.  Her hair wild over her bed behind her looked like gold silk sheets. She shivered and flushed across her cheeks and down her neck from his roaming eyes.

Disrobing, he joined her on the bed and she spread her legs for him.  She was shaking, but so was he, placing himself at her entrance. She was warm, he could feel it already on his tip as it touched her.  He held himself above her, looking down at her flushed face while she looked down at him. Wide eyes were taking him in as he held himself over her.

“That’s the piece you are going to put inside of me?”

Her eyes darted to his, the innocence inside them the same as when they were children.  And he was about to take it away from her. “Yes. That is what I have to offer.”

“It...it looks so much smaller in my books.”

His laughter shook the bed and she flushed a dark red.  Scooping down, he brushed his lips across hers and she latched on, sucking and pulling on them.  Letting his hands roam, he stopped holding his weight off of her and pressed down on her. Running a hand over her breast, she released a moan from her throat.

She pulled her knees up while he continued to lay in between them.  His need was growing and he could no longer hold back, her moans growing louder as he placed more of his weight and touch on her.

Taking the final step, he pushed inside her.  Throwing her head back, he was ripped from her mouth, Serena letting out a small cry.  Being inside her had him nearly coming undone but it started to fade with his lack of movement.  Slowly taking himself out made pleasure sing through his body. So he began slowly moving himself in and out of her.  A heat was rising in him, in his thighs and lower stomach. He had kept his pace the same, trying to focus on his movements, only then looking down at Serena.

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she arched her back up into him.  Her hands went to his head, pulling hard on his strands. And then she started screaming.

“Darien...ah...Darien…...DARIEN!!!”

She tightened, her whole body tensing before falling limp under him.  Stopping all motion, he leaned into her face. “Are you okay?” She nodded, her eyes remaining closed and her breath ragged.  “Good. It’s not over yet, my love.”

OoOoO

A knock at her door woke her, the maid calling to her from the other side of it instead of entering like usual. “Mrs. Shields, your breakfast is prepared.”  

It was clear she didn’t wait, moving on after the message was given.  Turning over in her bed, she quickly learned why. Naked as the day he was born, was Darien...her husband and Prince.  The maid must have figured things out when Darien was not down at the table waiting for her yet, the hour later than he had ever allowed himself to stay.  Not even the sheet covered him from her view, laying on his stomach next to her. At least she had herself wrapped up, but perhaps that was why he wasn’t, her hogging all of it.

The coupling they had performed last night was nothing like she expected.  Mother had been wrong. Not only did it not hurt, it was the most exquisite experience of her life.  Darien putting himself inside her kindled a fire that still slowly burned in her thighs and belly now.  He had attempted to extinguish it and he had caused it to burst through her body several times last night.  But looking at his naked form beside her now, she found it was easy to get it ablaze again. As long as it was him.

His arms under his chin, pump muscles held his pillow to his face slack with sleep. There was a slight shadow on his jaw, black hair that matched his messy mop growing overnight.  His skin was tight across his back, wide shoulders leading down to his backside. Which she found to be perfectly formed even without his slacks covering it. Taking her eyes back up, she gasped when she found his dark blue ones on her.

“Good morning.”  He spoke half into his pillow and half at her.  

Getting caught looking and still being nude...and memories of the night before had her burning up.  

“Good morning.”  

It was a squeak, one that only had her hiding deeper into her sheet.  Darien reached over and got it free from her face with one tug. “Are you hiding?”

“A little.”  

“Why?”  

“I’m not….sure.”  

She squealed again when he pulled more of the sheet free from her, now covering himself along with her.  His arms dug under and soon she was in his hold again. Her whole body felt like it was on fire as he pressed his chest, hips, and legs to hers.  

“Are you embarrassed?  I am your husband, there is nothing shameful here.”  

“It’s not that I feel shame…”. He chuckled, enjoying teasing her, and it shook down to her bones.  “Was it….did you…”. She struggled with her words and felt more blood rush to her cheeks the longer he watched her flounder.  “Are you...satisfied….with me?”

“I was.  Last night, but no longer.”  He started to kiss her shoulder, slowly working his way up to her neck.  

She felt the same, more so with his continued affections.  “I mean….did you enjoy it?”

He hummed against her skin.  “It expended all my energy.”

“I knew that.  You fell asleep soundly right after.  Hence why I am asking you now.”

She could feel his smile growing against her skin, his face still buried in it.  “Perhaps you missed my enjoyment, too lost in your own.”

“Do you not wonder the same of me?  How can you be so sure of yourself?”  

Leaving her skin, he propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at her.  “I will admit, I have no means of comparison,” a smirk grew on his face steadily, “However, you screaming my name over and over again did give me a clue.”  She actually felt faint, his words making her heart race while her brain spun, “Call me selfish but, I’d really like to hear you scream it again.”

Using his knees, he pushed hers apart and settled between her legs.  “Darien…”.

He hushed her then claimed her lips with his, pushing inside her unimpeded. Moving to her jaw, he nipped at her, kissing down to her throat.  A moan barreled out of her, coming straight from her soul and she slapped a hand over her mouth. Darien lifted from her skin to look down and frown but didn’t stop pumping into her, the fire growing fast inside.  

“Why are you doing that?”  

He pulled her hand from her mouth as he spoke, threading his fingers with hers and holding it so she couldn’t do it again.  His free hand grabbed and lifted her thigh higher on his hip so she bit her lip to hold in her cries.

“Serena…”.

He pulled the lip she held into his hold instead, kissing her as deeply as he had himself inside her.  When he released her, she still whimpered, trying to stay quiet even with the swelling pleasure he was implanting.  

“Serena, you are my wife.”  She shook her head at him, keeping her eyes and mouth squeezed tight.  “Serena..”.

He was groaning her name, his lips vibrating against her neck.  His own grunts and groans were enough for the whole house to hear.  With her free hand, she pressed it to his mouth and he stopped, pulling her palm from his lips.  

“We are doing nothing wrong, Serena.”  

“That doesn’t mean I want the whole house to know.”  

He put his face inches from hers and whispered, “Trust me, my love, they all heard you loud and clear this dawn.”  She blanched and he sighed, “Fine.” Removing himself from her, she had mixed feelings thinking he was going to stop pleasuring her.  But then he flipped her over, her face pressed into the pillows and started again. She barely had her mouth covered when she cried out his name again.


	8. Chapter 8

 

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 8**

It had been a struggle to be away from Serena before, but now?  It was torture, going through his day at work like it was any other day and not the day after finally having Serena.  She was his, body and soul. 

The thoughts of her from last night and that morning served to distract him further.  Andrew at one point waving a hand before his face. “Have you heard a word I have said?”

Shaking his head, he once again tried to focus.  “I am afraid not. Sorry my friend.”

“Hmmm….the Darien Shields not paying attention?  The only times you do that are when Serena is around or you have quarreled.”

“We have not quarreled.”

“Oh?  Then something good?”

He grabbed up his notebook and pen and moved away from the busybody.  “That is enough of your psychoanalysis, Doctor.”

But Andrew followed, still eyeing him too closely for comfort.  “Your eyes are clear and there has been a smirk permanently affixed to your mouth all day.”

“Except now….”

“Did someone finally get somewhere with his wife?  Say, the bedroom perhaps.”

The  _ so called _ smirk he had been wearing turned to a frown, glaring at his  _ so called _ business partner.  “That is none of your business.”

“It is when it affects my business!  You did it! You forced your way into her bedroom last night and claimed your rights as a husband didn’t you?”

He really did not appreciate the crude conversation at all.  “I forced nothing, she is my wife damnit.”

“Yes, whom you love with all your heart.  We all get it.” He shot the man a glare again but it was as effective as the last.  “To have waited for her all your life, you’d have to be crazy about her. I hope it was worth all those wasted opportunities.”

He wasn’t sure what Andrew was talking about with wasted opportunities, but he was ready for this conversation to end so he gave him a small something to quiet him.  “Andrew, my friend, it was more than worthy of the wait.”

OoOoO

It was beginning to seem as though a blush would be permanently fixed to her cheeks, even as she sat in the middle of her classroom.  She was alone, but that did not last, her slowly getting surrounded on all sides. Raye took her usual seat next to her, keeping her attention on her.  Lita and Amy remained standing, also looking at her.

“Good afternoon?”  They all grimaced and she felt the blush finally leave her cheeks, blood draining from her face.  “I am so sorry I did not tell you. I did not want you to think your fellowships were because of me!!”

Raye wrapped her arms around her neck, “No we are sorry.  Saying all those things about your husband?”

“We are going to keep watch from now on and make sure Ms. Beryl does not touch him!!”  Lita warned.

Amy patted her hand gently, “You are so sweet and the best friend anyone could ask for.  You do not deserve such treatment even from a man like Dr. Shields!”

She gently removed Raye and took turns looking them in the eyes.  “I appreciate that, I really do. But there is nothing to worry about with my husband and any other woman but me.”

Raye looked genuinely shocked, “You can trust a man that much?”

“I can trust Darien that much, yes.”

“Amazing.  Are you sure you are not just being naive, Serena?”  Lita asked.

Getting them all to sit, she told them in detail the love story of her and her Prince and then of hers and Darien’s.  The professor was taking the front of the class when she explained the night before, telling them of Darien’s big reveal of him as her Prince.  But she did not tell them more, like them sharing a bed.

Class began, the Professor starting his lesson on the human heart and Raye leaned in.  “Can I also assume you performed wifely duties last night?”

Her cheeks answered Raye, a smile shared between them.  “Raye. It was nothing like my Mother said it would be.”

“Of course not!  You two are in love.  It’s different than an arranged marriage bed would be.”

It was true, her parent’s marriage had been arranged.  But she would never think the two of them were not in love.  They had three children together when one would have been enough.  She was pretty sure Mother had told her a tale on purpose. Especially when she and father shared a bedchamber.  The sounds that came out of her and Darien, she had heard them a few times in her bed from her parents’ room. She had always wondered what the noise was, but now she knew.  But it was no wonder her Mother had lied. Had she known the truth, she would have never taking her own room and would probably already be with child. As it was now, she wanted to spend every night with Darien.

Forcing herself to focus on the Professor’s words, she made a plan to do exactly that.

OoOoO

Being late that morning, he was forced to stay a little late, missing dinner again.  But he thought nothing of it, bypassing the dining room and his cooling dinner in the kitchen and made straight for the bedrooms.

Giving a small knock, he entered Serena’s room but had his heart stop at the sight.  Checking quickly, he found her closet was just as empty as the drawers she had left open in her haste.  

She left him?  After everything, he told her last night?  After everything, they did last night?

Ready to run out into the night after her, again, he stepped back out into the hall and stopped.  His door was open and lit inside. With the dull glow of lights downstairs the only light in the hall, it was the bright lights that drew him in.  

Her back to him, she was filling a drawer with her intimates; bras and panties getting stacked neatly inside.  Currently, she had on her nightgown again. She was waiting for him, busying herself with the task of moving herself into his room while she waited his return.

Humming a happy tune, he came up behind her and wrapped both arms around her waist tight.  A gasp and a giggle and she tried to push him away. “I went to your room first. That was quite the shock, Serena.”

He could feel her tense in his arms.  “Do you not want me in here?”

Placing his nose in her neck, he breathed her in.  “I want you everywhere. I thought you left me.” 

Relaxing, she laid into him, her head flopping to his chest.  “How could I do that? I could never leave you, Darien.”

“You already tried, twice!”

“When I thought you did not love me.”

“And now?”

She twisted, turning in his arms to face him, bright blue eyes stealing his breath away.  “I have no doubts now.”

“Good.”

Kissing her softly, and trying to turn it into more, got him pushed away.  Serena turned back to her folding, putting more of her things in his drawers.  Their drawers.

He left her with a smile, readying himself for bed.  Returning, he wore only an undergarment and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting.  She had yet to see him but knew he was there, the sounds of his return alerting her.

“So many empty drawers.  And your closet was half empty.  Do you have so little to wear Husband?   


“I was waiting for my Wife to fill them.”

She finally looked back at him, a blush and a smirk on her face that fell at the sight of him.  “What are you doing?”

“Waiting.  How about you finish all of that tomorrow?”

Coteishly, she set her items down and slowly made her way to him, stopping at a pillar to the canopy above.  Her hands on either side, her fingers played with the design that was etched into the wood. “I...I thought about you...all day…”

Looking at the floor, she snuck glances up at him as she spoke, turning bright red as she did.  Reaching out for her, she gave him her hand and let him pull her the rest of the way to stand before him.  “I thought about you too. I always do but, today was especially difficult.”

Her hands on his shoulders, her fingers now danced over the etching of his bones and muscles under his skin.  “And, why, pray tell, was it so difficult today, my love?”

Grabbing her hips hard, he twisted the material of her gown in his fingers, considering ripping it from her.  “Because my thoughts were berated by memories of my wife under me.”

Carefully, she climbed on top of him, a knee on either side of his hips.  “I am so sorry. Shall I replace them with new memories?”

His hands were still on her hips, holding them tight.  “Yes, please. How about ones with me under you?”

Pulling on his hold, he pressed their hips together causing him to press against her warmth.  He groaned while she moaned, pulling back from him to slip the sleeves of her nightgown off her shoulders.  Now around her waist, he pulled her back to him and took to tasting her skin. Her hips continued to move against his and his blood was pumping furiously through him.

His tongue found her nipple, flicking across the pert pebble and she whimpered loudly.  So he took it in his mouth and ran his tongue over it again and again. His undergarments were wet from her, so he lifted both of them, tugging them off as hard as he could.  Serena remained on his lap. They both reached between one another; him to pull her nightgown up over her head while she grabbed his member. He was in shock, her taking him in her hand and putting him inside her.

The hiss that came from him from her touch was nothing compared to the moan that released from his chest as she slid him inside.  And she wasn’t waiting, twerking her hips on top of his and pulling him in and out as he had done. She was a fast learner.

It was as if the two of them were rubbing sticks together, a fire about to erupt between them.  Serena was hot all over, her skin attempting to scorch his lips as he pressed them to every inch of it he could reach.

Arching her back, he had to hold onto her to keep her from falling off to the floor.  She was shaking with every thrust of her hips, but she did not stop, his name erupting from her lips.  As it did, her warmth flowed over him and he lost himself. She fell back to him and he held her tight, continuing to move her hips on him for her till he was completely finished.  It was tiring work, starting their fire and not stopping till they put it out again. But it was amazing.

Limp on top of him, he continued to hold her tight, the two of them remaining as one.  Finally, she lifted her head from him and planted her lips on his. What started as slow and soothing quickly turned to fast and needy.

Hands on her ribs, he picked her up and tossed her to the middle of the bed, her head bouncing on the pillows with a giggle.  Quickly crawling, he was on top of her and in between her legs. Wiggling his hips on her had her giggling again, finding his way inside and already pumping into her.  

With strength he did not know she possessed, she pushed him off and to his back.  He whimpered at the loss of her but she soon sat on top of him, putting him back in.  

“I thought you wanted new memories of you under me?”

He spent the night watching her body rock on top of his, blissful with his lot in life.  She was such a fast learner.

OoOoO

Her hair was still wild as she rushed down the stairs, but if she did not hurry, Darien would have to leave for work without saying goodbye.  Pulling it back, she did her best to smooth it down as she sauntered to the breakfast table. Darien was finishing up, just about to stand to go.

“You fell back asleep?”

Half standing, she rushed to his side and plopped into his lap, effectively pushing him back to his seat with an  _ ‘oouf’ _ from him.  “A little, yes.”

“You should have rested more.  Stayed in bed.” Her arms around his neck, she pulled him to her, meeting his mouth halfway.  His hands went up her sides, stopping at her ribs before pulling her back and freeing his mouth.  “I need to go to work.”

“I know..”

They both pulled one another back to each other, his hands still on her ribs and hers on the back of his head.  Both of them were panting when they found the will to stop, resting their foreheads against one another. When she dared to open them, she found Darien’s eyes were still closed.

“I will miss you.”  He said, opening one eye to peek at her.

“I know.”

“Is that all you can say this morning?”

Smirking, she nodded and Darien’s hands slipped from her ribs and squeezed her sides, a tickling coming from his fingers on her.  Trying to get away proved futile, Darien holding her while torturing her at the same time.

“Enough...please...no more….”

“Ah!  She speaks!!”  Stopping, she calmed and caught her breath, Darien smirking at her the whole time.  “I think we should start calling the bedroom Gaeilge.”

“Pardon me?!  Why would we do that?”

“Other than it now being my favorite room in the house?”  He leaned into her ear, his breath tickling her again. “Because it is filled with magic, do you not agree?”

Kissing her neck just below her ear, she threw her head back to give him more access.  Darien pulled her into him tighter, caressing her from her neck and down her chest, even kissing the tops of her breast before stopping.

“Did you eat your breakfast Husband?”  Last thing she wanted was him skipping more meals.

His head was now resting on her chest, listening to her heart, breath, voice, or all.  “I had to, I needed to replenish my energy.” She smacked his shoulder and he lifted his head.  “I only wish to be honest with you.”

“Yes and lately your honesty has you single minded.”

“Are you not the same?”  Rolling her eyes, she tried to leave him, but he held her still a seriousness washing over him.  “I love you, Serena.”

Cupping his cheeks, she gave him a soft, quick kiss.  Holding him still to look in his eyes as she spoke. “I love you too, Darien.”  

Gaining her release, she took her own seat while Darien rose from his.  Placing a kiss on her temple, he left out. Without him to see and her to feel embarrassed, she ate as she pleased, feeling ravenous as well from the night before.

OoOoO

She had not thought this through and now she was at a loss.  It had not mattered when she slept separately from Darien, but now they shared a bed and Darien had taken to sleeping in the nude.  Something she had foolishly begun to do with him. There was no way of getting around it and already she was mortified. 

Mrs. Moon helped her as she had in the past and left her to lay in her old bed in her old room alone.  It would not be long until Darien came home and found her, no matter how much she wished to disappear. She knew Mrs. Moon would try to stop him, but it would be a pointless errand.

Like clockwork, a few moments after Darien’s usual arrival time, a light knock came to her door.  Creeping inside, she wondered how much Mrs. Moon had told Darien when he gently sat by her side. Casting the room in an orange glow, it on its last legs, the lights were left untouched.

“Did you eat?”  She nodded, keeping silent for as long as she could.  “Are you ill? Why are you sleeping in here alone?”

Mrs. Moon had told him nothing it seemed.  “Darien...I...yes, I am ill.”

He placed a hand on her forehead and slid it down to her cheek with a tenderness she was sure he was the only one in the world to possess.  “You have no fever…”

“I am not that kind of ill.”

A small smile grew on his beautiful face.  “I see.”

Standing, he said nothing more, leaving her and relief washed over her.  One of the many benefits of having a doctor for a husband. Or just a smart man as a husband, not forcing her to disclose everything out loud for him to understand her needs.

Now dark, she had drifted off, struggling a bit being the first night alone in so long.  She woke with a start when arms wrapped around her. “Shhh! It is me!”

Darien’s voice whispered in her ear and she calmed instantly.  But then irritation took over. “What are you doing here??”

“My wife is here.”

“Your wife is not decent!!”

“I have seen you far less decent than this and loved it.”

“Darien...you should not share a bed with me now.”

He only pulled her closer, his chin on her shoulder.  “It bothers me not, Serena. It is a natural and healthy occurrence for women.  What does bother me is not having you next to me all night or having you the first thing I see when I wake.  I do not think I can do it for one night, let alone a week.”

She felt the same, wanting him near and holding her always.  But her Mother had always slept in her bed when she was bleeding.  The two of them always bled together since she was 14. A strange phenomenon in her house.  Now her husband was planning on spending the whole week sleeping in her bed. Part of her was grateful while the other was still mortified.

Sitting up a little, Darien kissed her flushed cheek and then her neck before laying back down behind her.  “Stop fretting Serena. I love every single bit of you no matter what.”

She turned in his arms and squeezed him tight.

OoOoO

It was slight but given it was Serena, it screamed at him.  The small saunter she had when she entered the study, silent as she made her way to his bookshelf.  She had peeked at him once, a bright blush on her face. Now she kept her back to him, her hair coiled on top of her head revealing her slender neck and shoulder blades that her dress showed to him.  Add this into her kisses all that day, all full of wanting and longer in length than they had been most of the week and he was fairly certain she was able to accept him again. And not willing to wait till they retired to bed to show him as much.

His work now forgotten, he dropped it all to his desk and joined her.  Her lightly perfumed skin met his nose and he snaked his arms around her waist to pull her in close.  He was rubbing his nose and lips across her exposed skin, from shoulder, up her neck, to her hairline.

“Do you have any recommendations for me?”

She had tilted her head back to look at him from the corner of her eye.  Her question had him pausing, his lips on her shoulder again, and look up.  Releasing her, he searched the shelves, pulling book after book until he had a healthy stack for her.  She giggled as she walked over to the selections he held for her, digging through and pulling out three of them.

“I have read these already.”

He watched her replace them, taking care to put them where they came from, her stretching up to place the last one.  It had him setting the remaining stack down on the love seat next to the shelves. Her fingers left the spine and he dug his fingers into her hair, his palms on her cheeks.  Surprised, her pink lips popped open slightly but then curled into a smile. He could take it no more.

Only removing the necessary clothing, they fell to the floor, the plush carpet of his study their bed.  He was grunting and groaning loudly, propping himself over her with them attached at the hips, but she was twisting and bucking to meet him, putting him deep inside her.  Her legs wrapped around his hips only pushed him in deeper, far deeper than he had ever dared to go before out of fear of hurting her. Now he dared not give her any less of himself.

Arching, she tried to pull away, not wanting it to end so soon.  But he craved her ending as much as his own, dropping himself down to her to hold her in place.  Her hands went into his strands, fingers digging and pulling, their hips continuing to slap together hard.  He moved up, pulling her hands from his hair, placing her face at his chest and straightening his back, making his deep penetration easier. 

Her hands went to his backside instead, grabbing and pulling, encouraging him.  She screamed, a mixture of ‘ahh’s and his name and he felt her tighten around him, an additional rush of heat consuming him as she found her end.  It aided him in finding his, not that he had to search, but he knew now he could release having held back till she was done.

He fell to her, careful not to crush her and her arms returned to wrap around his neck.  They both needed to catch their breath, panting filling the now silent room. Still inside her, he kissed all the skin he could reach; her lips, cheeks, chin, neck, shoulder, and made his way down her chest until the neckline of her dress stopped him.  He released some of his irritation in a sigh and found her eyes.

“We should go to bed.”

She giggled, fingers dancing and playing with the strands at the base of his neck.  “What about your work?”

“It can wait.  This cannot wait any longer.”

He was kissing her throat, feeling the sigh she released on his lips.  “I did not mean to distract you….”

“You are always a distraction for me.  My one weakness.”

Coming to the tops of her breast again, stopped most irritantly by her dress she still wore again, he considered ripping it off her.  Or at least, ripping it down enough to give him her breast. “I am sure you mean that as a compliment but it does not sound as much, my love.”

Ripping his attention from her chest, he addressed the sad look she now wore.  “It is a compliment. Until you, all I did was work. Even then, it was to distract, to keep me from breaking my promise and coming for you sooner.”

She pressed her lips to his, the kiss not lasting as long as he would have liked.  “Why did you not come sooner? At least to visit?”

He searched her face, wondering what it was she really wanted to know.  “I suppose I should have. At least then you would not have been deceived.  I felt I was giving you what you needed, time with your family and time to be a child.”

“Why did father not tell me?”

The somber conversation had not deterred her, her hands running up and down his back while her legs still held him tight to her.  But it was clear, these questions had been in her head for a while now. “I cannot speak for him but I imagine he felt the same as I did.  However, he probably did not know that your Cousin had taken my place in your memories. Do you remember, the two of us going to your father and asking for our marriage together?”

The shock on her face answered him but she still spoke.  “No! We did that?”

Chuckling, he shook his head at her.  “You dragged me to his study to tell him we wanted to get married.  It was after your Mother found us sleeping in your bed. I thought he was going to kill me but you assured him we only slept, your clear innocent mind proving it to him.  I cannot believe you have forgotten, you were eight!”   


She tilted her head back, a finger to her chin as if to think.  “Maybe I thought it was a game? Who knows if I was truly serious.”

Pulling her arms and settling them back around his neck, he smirked down at her.  “Whether in jest or earnest, you are mine now.”

The smile that graced her face had him struggling to breathe.  “Body and soul.”

Careful when he pulled from her, he got to his feet and hastily fixed his clothes before pulling her to her feet.  “Let’s go to bed.”

Not giving her a chance to answer, he held on tight to the hand he held captive and made their escape.  She was giggling behind him, letting him pull her with ease. “So single-minded you are Husband.”

Stopping, he turned to her.  “Single-minded huh? Alright, then how about we discuss your birthday instead?”

“My birthday?”

“It is less than a month away.  What would you like from your Husband?”

Taking a moment, he watched as her mind worked before him, her coming in close to grab the fabric of his shirt at his chest.  “I just want my Prince to take me to Gaeilge and spend the day with me.”

Smirking, he watched her blush form on her cheeks.  “Now who is single-minded?” He chuckled as she dipped her head away, pressing it back up with his finger.  “How about I take you a little farther away?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“On holiday.  Your birthday is also our anniversary.”

She looked taken aback, “That’s right.  I cannot believe I have been here a year already.”  Clear blue eyes looked up at him, a sheepish look on her face.  “Can you really get away?”

“Andrew has been taking advantage of me for years with his holidays.  He owes me.” Leaning in, Serena pressed her cheek against his as he whispered into her ear.  “Where do you want to go, my love?”

She did not make him wait long for an answer.  “Surprise me.”

In a swift move, he had her in his arms; one under her knees and the other around her ribs.  Her squeals mixed with her giggles as he carried her up the stairs. “For now, I will take you to Gaeilge, my Queen.  A land of magic and no clothing.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....apparently I never hit publish on the last chapter, chapter 8. Oops!! Sorry to mess that up for you guys. Silver lining, two chapters at once? 
> 
> Thank you, thank you, betas Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and SailorMoon489. And thank you all to who have read/reviewed/kudoed/bookmarked this and my other stories! Honestly, if you did even one of those things, I truly appreciate it.
> 
> Find and follow me on Tumblr if for no other reason for me to feel loved lol. I do also post playlists for my fics there for those of you who like to listen while you read. Just search Aya Faulkner and mine is the one with the bunny on the moon for a profile pic.

 

 

* * *

**Chapter 9**

“You are going on holiday?  Where to?”

Mina’s interest was peaked, nearly slushing her tea in her excitement.  “I do not know, Darien is surprising me.”

“Oh how exciting!!  I am so glad to hear you and Darien are getting along better.  The man has been speaking of you for as long as I have known him.”

“He has?”

“Of course!  You were his intended were you not?  Many tried to steal his heart, believe you me, but he was steadfast.  With so many years of his devoted to you I must admit I am glad you finally seem to share his interest.”

She had no doubts of Darien’s devotion to her but hearing it from another was unexpected to say the least.  “You do not mind if we leave the practice in Andrew’s hands then?”

Mina waved her off, “Of course not!  Darien has never even taken a sick day.  The day he left to go and marry you was the first time Andrew was alone there and he did fine then!  You two go and have a lovely time!”

The clock in the hall  _ twanged _ telling her she needed to be off to class.  A quick goodbye to Mina and she rushed off. Her literature class was studying Cerno DeBersurak currently, which she found slightly ironic.  She still felt a fool, falling for Sloan’s lies. It had her wondering what else was true. Had her father really agreed to help her annul her marriage?  It never seemed like her father to say such a thing. There was no chance Mother would allow her to come home. 

In a daze, thinking all the things Sloan had ever told her over in her head, she found her way to her Anatomy class.  All the lies about the changes in him from when she knew him as a child seemed so obvious now. It also explained why she was where she was now, Darien keeping his promise from when they were children and sending her off to University.  Never had she ever felt so foolish.

Amy arrived a few moments after the rest of them, a strange occurrence.  But she came bearing gifts, passing a short article around to the three of them.  “Amy, what is this?”

Lita was already skimming the article and Amy spoke in a hushed tone.  “It is an article we all need to read.”

“Who is this….Ruth Smythers?”  Raye asked with a disgusted look on her face.

Amy pointed to the top of the page, “She is the wife of  The Reverend L.D. Smythers Pastor of the Arcadian Methodist Church of the Eastern Regional Conference.”

She gave it a glance but mostly looked at Amy, “But...I’m Catholic.”

“It doesn’t matter!  This is important to all women, married and single!  Especially those married.”

Amy was eyeing her, especially so she took a closer look at the article, finding herself getting lost in it.  “Serena, do not pay mind to such dribble,” Raye warned.

“She is the one in the most danger, Raye!  You know it as well as I do.”

Raye was starting to fume.  “And why is she in more danger than I?”

Amy sat, her back to them now.  “Serena is younger and far more naive than you, Raye.”

If they said more, she missed it.  Too enthralled by the article before her.

OoOoO

Serena had been aloof all day, avoiding his touch as much as possible.  Now bedtime, he knew she could not avoid him any longer.   She was already under the covers when he entered and he stripped as he always did.  Tonight, it caused Serena to gasp at the sight.

“You should wear some clothes to bed.”

He smirked over at her, the covers up to her chin as she laid still.  “Why? You are just going to take them off of me once I am settled.”

“I will do no such thing!”

Ignoring her strangeness, he pulled back the covers to hop in with her, only to reveal her covered from neck to toe in flannel.  He nearly fell off the bed with his laughter. “What are you wearing?”

“A nightgown!!”

“Are you not warm?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from him.  “That is not the point.”

“Yes, it is.  For if my wife is cold, I will gladly warm her up.”

He fell to her, diving into her neck, but she pushed hard on his shoulders.  “Darien...I am not well…”

Stopping, he pulled back to look down at her.  “You are ill? What is wrong?!”

Checking her temperature, he found it to be fine and she started to fidget.  “I...have a...headache.”

“Serena, you are a terrible liar.  What is going on?”

Nearly jumping off the bed, Serena grabbed a sheet of paper and handed it to him.  He gave it a once over, seeing things like ‘marriage’, ‘sex’, and then skimmed how it went on to instruct women in avoiding sex and limiting it to twice a week till they got it down to never.

“What is this?”

“An informative article on how a married woman should handle sex in her relationship.”

He looked back to the author and huffed.  “Serena, this is written by some Preachers wife in America.  A Methodist at that. Why are you listening to a word she says?”

“Amy suggested it to me…”

He fell on his face to the bed, groaning.  “I NEVER thought Amy would be a bad influence.  I thought Mina was my only worry.”

“It is because Amy is not a bad influence that I am listening to her!”

Sitting back up, he looked her dead in the eyes.  “This woman is just some sad, dried up prude. Do you find sex with me painful or disgusting?”

She flushed and looked at the floor.  “..No…”

Grabbing a hand, he pulled her closer to him and the bed.  “Do you want to refuse me, Serena? If so, you do not need an excuse.  Just tell me and I will be satisfied.”

She was standing at the edge of the bed, her thoughts dancing back and forth just as her body did, shifting her weight on her toes.  Head down, she popped it up and looked at his face. “I do not want to refuse you.”

“Are you sure?”

To prove her resolve, she hopped up on the bed with him, wrapping her arms around his neck and crushing her mouth to his.  Both of them stood on their knees, holding each other in the middle of the bed.

Pulling from her, he looked over her nightgown again, grabbing the collar in both hands and pulling it apart hard.  It ripped in half and he did not stop till he could see her navel, a gasp coming from her. “Never wear this again.”

Grabbing her, he twisted, laying her down on the bed under him.  Taking the nightgown again, he ripped it the rest of the way, it laying under her while she was nude underneath.  “Hmph. If you really wanted to refuse me, you should have at least worn undergarments.”

She sat up, through her blush, and removed the tattered nightgown from her to toss to the floor.  Fully satisfied with her resolve, he laid on top of her, joining them together.

OoOoO

She was laying on his chest, playing with the little hairs on it.  Looking up at him, Darien had one arm under his head while the other wrapped around her, gently stroking her skin.  “Do you think there is something wrong with us?”

He glanced at her, an uncomfortable position so it was quick.  “What do you mean?”

Pushing up, she rested on her elbows, looking down at him.  “Do we enjoy sex too much?”

He huffed, looking away from her while he laughed.  “Are you really still worried about that? No, Serena, there is nothing wrong with us.  There is everything right with the two of us.”

“Is that your Doctor opinion?”

“Doctor, husband, man, it is the opinion of all.”

Laying back down, she pressed an ear to his chest and listened to his heart beat below.  “Why did you become a Doctor?”

“Why not?  It is a noble profession is it not?”

“I think it is a fine one.  But you have family money and no need to work so why do you?”

He turned, gently pushing her off to roll to his side and look at her as he spoke.  “Is this about time?”

“No, I am only curious.”

Satisfied, he kissed the tip of her nose and pulled her a little closer.  “You may not remember but I came to your house that day because my father had passed.  He died slowly of a terrible disease and no one could do a thing for him. Not even ease his suffering.  I became a Doctor so that no one would have to die like that again.”

When he finished, she pulled him to her, placing his head on her chest and he wrapped his arms around her to hold them in place.  When she was sure he was staying, she released his head and ran her hands down his back. “I remember my father crying only once in my life.  And that it was for a friend. You came the next day so I thought little of it.”

“It took my father so long to die….I hadn’t laughed or smiled for so long.  Until I met you.” He released a bark of a laugh into her chest. “I thought you were a gremlin when we first met.”

“Gremlin!!”

“But then when I saw you in the light, I thought you a Sprite instead.  I still think you are one in disguise.”

“You have found me out good Sir.  I am, in fact, a water Sprite.”

Taking his head from her, he grinned down at her.  “No, you would have to be a woodland Sprite. That is where I found you most of the time.”

“In that field next to my parents’ home?  Then would I not be a grassland Sprite?”

He shrugged, “Perhaps, but I have never heard of those.”

Raising an eyebrow at him, she teased.  “What kind of education did you receive if you do not know of the grassland Sprite?”

“Would the lady care to teach me?”

He propped himself up on his elbows, ready and waiting to listen.  She did her best to rid herself of her grin, wanting to come off as believable.  “They are a lovable creature who takes in brutish ones and turn them into caring humans….”

“Brutish??”

“And they love chocolate.”

“Do they also smell like honeysuckles and sweet wet grass?”

She cocked her head at him, “I..I am not sure..”

“Hmmm...cause that is how you smell.  All the time.”

Her face grew hot, the gentle smile he was giving her not helping.  “Then, yes, that is how they smell. And I am still working on the creature before me as he is not quite tame yet.”

“Tame?  Oh yes, I am still very much the brute am I not?”

He shot up, grabbing her knees and pulling her so her head no longer rested on the pillows.  Then pulled them apart, crawling in between them and putting his weight on her. His mischievous grin disappeared into her neck while his hands found her belly and tickled.

Squealing, she tried to push and buck him off, but he was far stronger than she was.  “Ah...Darien...stop...ah!!!”

He slowed, his fingers turning from tickling to stroking and his mouth on her neck changed from playful bites to gentle nips.  Going up her ribs, he soon found her breast and her giggles swiftly turned to moans. Now, instead of trying to push him away, she wrapped her legs around him and tried to push him deeper as he claimed her again.

Moving in and out, a heat growing quickly, she threw her head back at the swift coupling he was doing.  He licked up her neck. “Should you….get some….sleep….”

She spoke in between thrust, pleasure trying to overwhelm her thoughts.  “Then….put me to sleep, lover.”

He found her eyes for a moment before crushing his mouth to hers, their tongues dancing as did their hips.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for all the confusion with the chapters. In case you missed it, I accidentally missed publishing chapter 8 and skipped to 9. It has since been fixed so some of you might need/want to go back and read that one.
> 
> Here is chapter 10 and it is the correct one lol. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> Thanks to my betas Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and SailorMoon489!!

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 10**

 

Her eyes had been wide once their destination was in sight, the Eiffel Tower giving it away.  Even in the dwindling light, it looked amazing, Paris growing in the distance. A train, a boat, and another train and they were almost there.  The looks on Serena’s face made it all worth it.

The first thing she did when they got to their hotel room was find and rush out onto the balcony.  He dealt with the bell boy, the two of them handling the luggage. Tip in his hand, the bell boy left him alone with his wife, whom he went to collect.

She was leaning on the railing, looking over the city.  The Eiffel Tower was in the near distance, the sun setting and casting a glow on it.  But it was nothing compared to the glow that surrounded his Sprite. He swore, every time she was overly joyous, she glimmered and glowed.  There was little doubt in him that she, in fact, was not of this Earth.

Her hair was braided and coiled on top of her head for the journey, but at some point since entering the hotel room, she had taken it down resulting in it falling in twists and kinks down her back.  Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his nose into the back of her head, breathing her in deep. Small hands rubbed the tops of his arms, grabbing and pulling them to wrap around her tighter.

But soon, she was pulling away and then pulling him.  Returning inside, she found the bedroom and sat him down on the bed.  “You are tired, dear Husband. You should rest.”

It was not long before he was resting under her, watching as she rocked on top of him.  Serena showing him just how much she found his choice of holiday spot agreeable.

Alone in the dark, he woke still in the bed with his Sprite nowhere in sight.  But he did not fret, knowing just where to find her.

Her robe wrapped around her tight, she now watched the city at night, lights twinkling from homes and businesses that stayed open this late.  Mostly restaurants and bars. She was starting to turn to him when he caught her, a small squeak coming from her.

“Darien!  You are naked!!”

“So are you!”

“I at least have my robe!!”

His hands were already at the tie to it, pulling it loose.  “Then share it with me…”

Getting it loose, he started kissing her now bare shoulder.  Her hands held his head, not pushing him away. “Darien...we are out for all to see….”

“Then come back inside.”

He picked her up, her legs wrapping around him on instinct and it had her heat pressing against him.  “I was too excited to sleep. So I came out to see the city some more.”

“Then let me apologize, lover, for not properly tiring you out.”

Carefully placing her in one of the armchairs in the sitting area of their hotel room, he knelt before her.  “What are you doing?”

“Experimenting.”

He tugged on her knees, getting her to sit on the edge and parted her robe out of the way.  Then he parted her legs a soft and wet golden mound greeting him. He licked the moisture off of her and she jumped.  Doing it again, she moaned loudly. After a few more licks, he stopped and looked up to her hazy eyes.

“Is this alright?”

She nodded hard and fast.  “Yes...do not stop...please.”

He went back to lapping her up, holding her down when she started to squirm.  Then he stopped again, this time to lift her legs and drape them across the chair.  A leg on each arm had her spread wide for him.

“Keep them here, lover.”

She nodded, keeping her eyes on his.  He went back to his meal and she kept her legs where promised.  Now with much more access, he dug his tongue around all her crevices and sucked on a few places.  Curious and wanting to taste, he dipped his tongue inside her. She groaned when only the tip of his tongue was in so he stuck the entire appendage inside her.  It earned him his name, roughly called out from her throat. Replacing his tongue with a finger, he curled it inside her and she was panting. Going for broke, he placed three fingers inside her and licked the rest of her, pumping his fingers in rhythm with the strokes of his lapping.

He felt her tighten around his fingers and he removed them, putting his tongue inside her again to lap up whatever it was that came pouring out of her at her end.  It was sweet, her nectar, the honey of a Sprite.

Her head flopped over the back of the seat so he closed her legs for her and lifted her from the chair.  Her head now flopped to his chest instead, her arm finding its way around his neck while the other drew shapes on his chest.  Laying her on her side of the bed, he pulled the covers over her, her robe still barely clinging to her. He lacked any shock when she slipped out of it and rolled over to him once he was settled in the bed next to her.

Wrapping one arm around her, she returned her head to his chest and used him as her pillow.  “What was that, Darien?”

He chuckled, her head bouncing a little on him.  “Subligation. To my Queen.”

 

OoOoO

 

Breakfast was spent out on the hotel’s terrace, people passing on the street next to them while they drank coffee and ate bread with cheese.  After breakfast, they explored, combing the streets and taking in the sites. Lunch was at a different restaurant each day, Darien taking her to his favorite ones first and then letting her pick from there. 

After lunch, they returned to the hotel to ‘rest’, the bright sun illuminating the tender and passionate lovemaking that took their breaths away and caused them to need a real nap as well.  Once awake, they either strolled the shops, sat at the hotel terrace and sipped wine, rode a carriage around the Eiffel Tower, or stayed in bed which they did a few times.

If Amy knew just how much sex they were having, she might never hear the end of it.  It went against everything that article stated; she never refused Darien, they slept naked, they had seen all of one another’s bodies many times, continuously made love in the bright light of day or with the lights on, and she did not lie still till he was finished.  Darien was starting to perform ‘subligation’ almost every night now and she had even performed it on him a few times. Even with her going against what Ruth Smythers argued for a healthy marriage, she would never want it any other way. She was blissful in her marriage and marriage bed.

Two weeks in Paris and they returned, tired.  Mrs. Moon had their luggage taken for them and dinner ready for them when they arrived.  Set as it was expected, she carefully picked up her plate and moved it to the seat right next to her husband before the two of them sat to eat.

Finishing dinner, the bell rang, being so late she worried it was another injured man like it had been that night so long ago.  She relaxed when Mother rushed into the dining room, her and Darien barely getting to their feet before she crushed them into a hug.

“Oh, my darlings have returned!!!”  Pulling away, she held onto her shoulders, a few tears in her eyes.  “I have missed you at tea so much my darling daughter!”

Darien was already seated again, an agitated sigh coming from him.  “It was only two weeks, Mother.”

“And that is more than enough time for a Mother!!”  She was getting lead gently away towards the formal living room.  “You must tell me all about your trip!”

“Mother!  We just got home.  We are tired.”

Mother hushed her son, scowling back at him.  “I will only stay for a moment! I want to hear how my daughter is doing!!”  Now alone, the two of them sat side by side on her favorite couch, Mother whispering even with no one around.  “So? Did you enjoy Paris?”

“Yes, very much so.”

“And...did my son enjoy himself as well?”

There was a tone to her voice she could not place.  “Yes, we both had a lovely time. We even spent a whole day at the Louvre.  And took a carriage ride around the Eiffel Tower…”

“Yes, yes dear.  That all sounds lovely.  What I am asking is….well how are you feeling dear?”

“Me?  I feel fine.  Great really. A bit tired….”

“Which is why we should get to bed.  Thank you so much for your visit, Mother.”

Darien had appeared, gently pulling her up off the couch and his Mother next.  Taking the elder towards the door Darien was trying to be polite as much as possible with his obvious haste.  He was squeezing his nose when he returned and she giggled at him.

“Mother just cares about us.”

“She was snooping.  Budding herself into our business.”

Running her hands up his chest, she gently pulled his hand from his face and gained his full attention.  “I think it is nice. You do not?”

“I have grown up with such prying, Serena.  I stopped thinking it nice years ago.”

Getting up on her toes, she caressed his lips with hers for a heartbeat before falling back to her heels.  His eyes opened a second later, looking down at her while his hands found the small of her back. “Let us go to bed.  You are tired Husband.”

“And you are not?”

She shook her head and a smile grew on his face.  “I will never tire of you.”

He lifted her up in his arms, taking them towards the stairs and bed.  “I will still make it my mission to put you to quell you of that, my love.”

 

OoOoO

 

It had been two weeks since they returned and he found he was still tired.  His Holiday away had been glorious but it had left him exhausted for some reason.  His lack of sleep at night probably had something to do with it but he found that he was unable to refuse Serena just as she was him.  It was true, at this point he could have both of them finishing within a few minutes, but he loved making it last. It made Serena’s cries that much louder.

He was smirking at the thought and he knew it, people giving him strange looks as he passed them.  When they were in Paris, they had intercourse every afternoon and night. Now back at work, he was only able to visit Gaeilge at night.  He truly missed seeing Serena in the daylight.

Glancing at the clock, he saw that lunch was quickly approaching.  He had his white coat and stethoscope off and in his hands by the time he reached his office, planning on sprinting home to give him as much time with his wife as possible.

“Dr. Shields!”  He cringed, not hiding it in the slightest but hoped he could pretend not to have heard her.  “Oh, Dr. Shields!!!” 

Her heels picked up their pace, chasing him and he knew he had no choice but to stop, turn to face her, and force a smile on his face.  “Ms. Beryl. How are you?”

“Lonely!  I have not seen you in so long!  I came by but they told me you were on Holiday?”

His smile turned real at the reminder of Paris.  “Yes, my Wife and I went away for a spell.”

Her smile dropped, a strange look appearing on it.  “Your….wife?”

“Yes.  It was our anniversary.  One year.”

“You...you’ve been married?  For a year??”

Her voice was strange and her lips were curled in a strange frown.  “Ye...yes...well longer in a way. We were engaged at a young age…”

“It is an arranged marriage?”

Her tone changed again, a slight lift in her voice.  “Uh...yes...sort of..but…”

“I understand.”  A smile returning to her face.

“Well, I must excuse myself.  I am off to lunch. One of the other doctors will have to see you today I’m afraid…”

“It is fine.  I will return later.  An hour you think?”

She asked but did not wait for an answer, swishing away.  He did not wait either, rushing out of his practice and running all the way home.


	11. Chapter 11 (The Real One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the mistake yesterday, I was rushing! Here is the real chapter 11. The last two were short and lacking in drama so you might wanna sit down for this one folks, I rock the boat hard.
> 
> Thank you betas Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and SailorMoon489!!!

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 11**

 

Mrs. Moon must have noticed her melancholy, joining her for lunch these days.  She appreciated the company but it was not the same. The two weeks spent alone with Darien had spoiled her, now wishing more than ever to have their afternoon ‘naps’ again.  It was clear, Darien was still tired from the trip too, as was she, but neither could refuse the limited time they had together alone. She probably should refuse him, just so he could get some sleep.

 

Finishing her salad, Mrs. Moon took the plates away while she sipped on her glass of water.  They both looked at one another when they heard the front door open and shut in a hurry. Standing, Mrs. Moon came to her side just as Darien appeared, out of breath.

 

“Darien?  Are you alright?  Is something wrong??”

 

She was at his side in an instant, him still puffing away trying to catch his breath.  “I will let you two have your privacy.”

 

Mrs. Moon wore a smirk she tried to hide as she fled.  Looking back at her husband, she waited for him to give her his eyes and his answer.  “Everything...is fine...Serena….I just...missed you.”

 

Helping him take off his coat, she found his shirt wet with sweat.  “Did you run here?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Why?”

 

“So I could have….as much time as possible….with you.”

 

He was watching her, gaging her for something but she just took his hand and pulled him away.  “Come, let us get you out of those sweaty clothes.”

 

OoOoO

 

Sitting in the middle of the bed, Serena remained in his lap her arms and legs wrapped around him.  His legs were under her while his arms around her. They were both still catching their breaths, holding onto one another tight.  The sun brightly shining through the windows had the sweat on her body glistening. It was one of the many things he had missed about seeing her mid day.

 

Slack against him, she pushed slightly away, finding his eyes.  “You should eat something.”

 

“Okay.  Lay back on the bed.”

 

She smacked him, not so gently, on the shoulder.  “I am serious! You need something filling!”

 

“I will have you know I find it very  _ fulfilling _ !”

 

She was shaking her head at him, “Darien, I am going to start refusing you if you do not take better care of yourself.”

 

“And you?  Are you taking care of yourself?”  He looked her over, spying for any loss in weight but found none.  “You skip almost as many meals as I do but I cannot tell.”

 

She smacked him again, even harder.  “That is not the kind of thing one says to his Wife!!”

 

Tossing her back on the bed, he quickly climbed on top of her before she could get away.  “Forgive me, lover. What is it I am supposed to say?” He roamed over her again with his eyes and was thankful not to see any difference in her body.  “How about, you look as beautiful as always?”

 

“That is better.  Thank you.”

 

Brushing the back of his hand down her cheek, he continued down until her nipple brushed the back of his hand.  Filling his palm, he held a breast in his hand and started rolling its pebble in between his thumb and forefinger.

 

“You seem to have gained a little weight here though.”  Her head was back in the pillows from his touch but popped up at his words.

 

He had just gotten her nipple in his mouth when she pulled away, getting out from under him and off their bed.  “That is enough now. Get dressed and go eat while you still have time.”

 

She was putting her clothes on in a rush while he came to sit on the edge of the bed to watch her.  “Is this you refusing me?”

 

Throwing them at him, his pants hit him in the face.  “Yes! I am officially telling you no more sex until you eat!”

 

“Calm down, Serena…”

 

“Darien.  I may not have lost weight but you have!  Since returning from Paris you have lost weight and sleep and it is all because of me.”  She stopped, coming to cup his cheeks and sweetly stroke them. “Paris was wonderful, Darien and I loved every minute of it just as you did.  But we are home now and we cannot expect things to stay the same as they were on Holiday.”

 

“I know.  I miss being alone with you all day.”

 

“As do I.  But unless you want to give up your practice….?”

 

“No, I am afraid not.  Sorry.”

 

She gripped him tighter, “Do not apologize.”

 

Her lips brushed his for a singular second before she released him and finished dressing.  Leaving him to dress alone.

 

OoOoO

 

Darien was still sulking as he sat at the table, picking at his salad.  Releasing a huff, she pushed him back in his seat and sat in his lap. “Are you going to continue to pout?”

 

He shrugged, “My Wife called me skinny.”

 

Taking his fork from him, she shoved some of his lunch on it and held it out before his mouth.  “Then do something about it, if it bothers you that much.”

 

He smirked but took the offered food.  Feeding him the entire meal, she remained in his lap a few moments longer, enjoying what remained of his lunch break.  “Thank you, for taking care of me, my love.”

 

Grabbing both cheeks in one hand, she squeezed his mouth together in a pucker.  “If you refuse to take care of yourself, then of course, I will in your stead.”

 

She placed a kiss to his pushed out lips and he started to tickle her, causing her to let go.  He did not release her until she got out of his hold, jumping from his lap. He stood as well, brushing away wrinkles she had created and straightening his tie.  Standing in front of the door, they said their goodbyes, her feeling oddly sad like it was more than a few hours. He held her tight to him, their lips pressed together in a far more chaste display than what they had committed minutes ago.

 

His hold on her slowly loosened and he pulled his lips away.  “I am afraid I have to tell you to not get used to this. I may not be able to come for many lunches or even at all past today.”

 

Holding in her sadness, she forced a smile on her face.  “I understand.”

 

Kissing her once more but harder, he left.  With school on break, she had little else to do but wait for his return.  Mrs. Moon was humming happily to herself in the kitchen, arranging a few flowers in a vase.  She got a whiff of their scent and found she had to turn away abruptly.

 

Mrs. Moon saw her reaction and quickly tossed the flowers outside, taking hold of her shoulders gently.  “I guess we cannot have flowers in the house for a while.”

 

Feeling more stable, she released her nose and mouth, feeling confused by the grin Mrs. Moon had.  “What do you mean?”

 

Now Mrs. Moon looked confused, “Child, have you not noticed?”  When she shook her head, Mrs. Moon’s smirk returned. “I have not had to assist you in your monthly confinement in a while.”

 

“Yes…but that is because I have not been confining myself.  Darien stays with me.”

 

“If you say so dear.”

 

OoOoO

 

His extended lunch break had chased off Ms. Beryl but he knew it was only a matter of time before she made her appearance again.  It felt similar to sitting on a ledge that would collapse at any moment. 

 

“Dr. Shields!”

 

He was almost too scared to look, one of the nurses getting his attention and pointing it elsewhere.  The air he held captive in his lungs released when he found Serena on the other end of her finger. 

 

“Is that not your wife?”

 

She was standing at the top of the stairs looking all around when she spotted him.  A bright smile on her lips that he knew he shared, they met in the middle. 

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“Are you not happy to see me?”  She made a fake pout and he grabbed her, hauling her the whole way to his office. 

 

He was in the middle of shutting the door when he dropped his head, catching her lips with his.  One hand on the door knob, the other on her cheek, he did his best to keep it gentle and calm. If he started a fire with her here, it would surely be heard around the practice when he put it out. 

 

Keeping both his hands on her hips, he looked her over. “What are you doing here?”

 

She held up a small sack in front of his face.  “Brought you lunch. Is that not what a wife is supposed to do?”

 

“Where did you hear that?  Mina?”

 

“She brings Andrew his lunch everyday does she not?”

 

“They are trying to have a child.”

 

Serena grew still at his words, causing him to worry at the look on her face, but she quickly recovered.  “Come, let me watch you eat.”

 

Holding her hand, not caring who saw, he walked her out of his office.  They were still giggling at mock portrayal Serena did for him of George Bernard Shaw when they were interrupted. 

 

“Dr. Shields?”

 

He cringed again at the voice but had no clue if she caught it.  Serena did, giving his hand a squeeze in response. “You should go.  I’ll see you at home.”

 

Glancing behind at Ms. Beryl, Serena did not fight him, giving his hand another squeeze before letting him go.  He had intended on walking her out and sneaking a kiss before she left. Best laid plans as they say.

 

“Ms.Beryl, nice to see you again.”  He forced himself not to speak through his teeth as he said the words.

 

“I waited and returned the other day but you did not.”

 

“Yes I took a long lunch.”

 

Ms. Beryl looked around him and he followed her stare. Serena was still there, having been found by Raye the two were conversing happily.  With school on break, the two of them most likely had not seen one another in a while.  

 

It warmed his heart to know Serena had close friends.  “Who is that woman? A new nurse?”

 

He had almost forgotten his current impediment.  “No, that is my wife.”

 

“Oh?  She’s….young.”

 

“Turned 19 last month.”

 

Ms. Beryl looked as though she was thinking something over, a smile slowly growing on her face.  “I see.”

 

He led the way into a room, watching Serena shrink from his sights.  “What is bothering you today, Ms. Beryl?”

 

Without a word from him, she sat on the bed in the room and instantly hiked up her skirt hem.  “It’s my thigh. I keep having stabbing pain in it.”

 

Her hands on the fabric, she held her thigh up in the air, splitting her legs apart slightly.  This was not the first time he had had to examine a woman like this and not the first time it had been Ms. Beryl.  He thought nothing of it, stooping down to take a closer look.

 

“Have you lost weight Doctor?”

 

He gently touched the afflicted area, not taking his eyes off his task.  “My wife says I have so it must be true.”

 

Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and tried to press it to her sex.  He pulled free in an instant, backing away holding his hand like it had been scalded.  As it very nearly was. 

 

“Ms. Beryl what are you doing??”

 

Her hem was still bunched up almost to her waist as she smirked up at him.  “You tell me you have been married for a year but this is the first I have heard of it.  Then I find it was not only arranged but that you are married to a child? Poor, poor Darien, no wonder you have lost weight.”

 

“Regardless of what you may think, I  _ am _ a married man…”

 

“That’s alright.  I do not mind.”

 

“I do!”

 

“Darien…”

 

“Dr. Shields.”

 

She stood, holding her skirt up so it did not drape over her legs as it should.  “Dr. Shields, I only mean that….I do not mind waiting until you divorce. Or not waiting.”

 

Pulling her dress up higher, he kept his eyes on her face, her grin slowly fading the longer he refused to look at what she ‘offered’.  “Ms. Beryl, my marriage was arranged by me and my wife when we were children. Even though only married a year, I have been  _ faithfully  _ waiting for her to turn 18 to marry her.  The only reason you have never heard of her is due to you not listening as I have spoke of her for far longer than a year.  She is the only one I want. The only one I love. So much so, that I have been skipping meals just to spend more time with her.  She came here today just to make sure I ate so please do not misunderstand my relationship. I love my wife.” Her face twisted and screwed into a scowl, angry tears flowing down her face.  “I think you should find a new doctor.”

 

OoOoO

 

“Can you believe it?  She is gone for good!!”  Mina blurted.

 

Lita looked between them all, “How is it she even knows that and we do not?”

 

She shrugged, Amy turning pink from the conversation while Raye took a long sip of her tea.  

 

“I know because my husband told me so!”

 

Lita looked right at her now.  “Did Dr. Shields say anything to you to confirm this?”

 

Shrugging again, Lita frowned.  “Darien and I do not discuss work matters such as those.  It really is none of my business.”

 

“None of your business?  Serena the woman made a pass at your husband!”  Lita was turning very red.

 

Raye patted her knee in comfort.  “And now she has to seek out a new Doctor.  I think that says it all.”

 

Crossing her arms across her chest, Lita sat back and pouted.  “I still think she should know about it.”

 

“Darien probably did not see it as newsworthy or something worth bothering Serena with.”

 

Mina offered her a strong smile and Amy cleared her throat.  “Can we discuss another topic? Serena, how was your trip?”

 

“Oh it was wonderful.  Paris is such an amazing city!  You all must travel there yourselves at first chance!”

 

They all gave some kind of sad excuse but she did not deter her from telling them all the things to do and see while in Paris.  She did not, of course, tell them how much time was spent in their hotel bedroom, but the thought of it had warm blood creeping up into her cheeks.

 

The clock in the hall rang out and Mina jumped to her feet.  “Oh my, is that the time? I need to get home!”

 

The others rose as well, not as quickly, but all made their exit and promised to do it again soon.  “You should all come over for dinner next week! Raye and Mina, bring your husbands!”

 

Planning on working out the details later, she shut the door behind them tight, deciding to nap until Darien got home when a knock came to the door.  Sure it was just one of the girls, she beat Mrs. Moon to it and swung it open wide. Only to find Sloan on the other side.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“What glad tidings you give.  Is that the proper greeting these days?”

 

He pushed past her and inside, Mrs. Moon standing near to keep him from going any further into the house.  “What is it you want Sloan?”

 

“I want you to come to your senses and leave with me.”

 

Mrs. Moon took a step but she waved her off.  “I am not going anywhere with you. This is my home.”

 

“Serena, you do not have to pretend that you are happy here.  I know you and I know that it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

 

She huffed, a loud fake laugh coming from her in the form of a bark.  “What do you know of truths? Or of me?”

 

“I know all about you!  Remember I have known you almost your whole life.”

 

Mrs. Moon put a hand on her shoulder and she gently brushed her away.  “You only knew me from 14 and on. We never knew one another as children.”

 

“How can you say that??”

 

“Because it’s true!  What is not true is you!  You were never my Prince and we never met when I was a child!  You lied to me!”

 

He shifted his weight on his feet, his guilt making him dance before her.  “It was not a lie! You remembered me because it is true!”

 

“I remember meeting someone but it was not you!  It was Darien!! It was always Darien! You lied to me for years!  Why??!!”

 

“Because I love you!”

 

“That’s not love!  And if it is then I do not want it, not from you!”

 

He took a step closer, getting dangerously close to her and Mrs. Moon’s presences returned.  “You loved me regardless. Me! Not this man this…”

 

“My husband?  My Prince? This man is all the things you are not and more to me!”

 

His hand went up as if to strike her and Mrs. Moon caught it before it fell.  Sloan ripped it from her hold with ease but still backed away. “You were meant to be with me!  You loved me and I loved you!”

 

“I loved a lie!  I do not want to be with you.  Can you understand that!”

 

“You should not be with this man either.  Your father and I will still help you get away from him, we can still get your marriage annulled…”

 

“Are you listening to me?  Do you ever listen to me? I told you months ago I did not want an annulment and that I loved my husband!  That has not changed.”

 

“You still do not see do you?”

 

“It matters not, an annulment is impossible now.”

 

He stared blankly at her a moment, his jaw clenching as it hit him.  “You are lying.”

 

“No that is what you do, not me.”

 

He shook his head, staring at the floor.  “It does not matter, we can tell people you never consummated.  No one has to know.”

 

Stomping her foot, she got him to look at her again.  “Listen to me and listen well. I do not want to leave my husband.  Not now, not ever. Even if I did, I would never lie, that is not who I am.  There is no lying about this anyway, it is impossible.”

 

“It is not impossible….”

 

“It is as the proof of our consummation grows inside me now!!”

 

Silence fell over them, Sloan’s face twisting like he had something sour in his mouth.  Something he wanted to spit out. “You mean…”

 

“In a month or so, everyone will know we have consummated.  My body will tell all.”

 

Sloan was still seething silently but looked ready to pop.  She did not know what that would look like but she did not want to find out.  Going quickly to the door, she wrenched it open and held it so, not saying a word but making her message clear.  He was hesitating and it looked as though he was not going to leave at all.

 

Mrs. Moon took a brave step towards him.  “I think you should leave now.”

 

His approach was slow, glaring at her the whole way.  She did not understand, he was the one who lied, who never listened to her or cared about what she wanted.  Why was he the one upset?  

 

He was finally at the door but he stopped right in front of her.  “So this is the life you have decided on?”

 

“For the hundredth time, yes.”

 

His hand rose, this time to touch her and she stepped back from it.  Dropping it quickly, she breathed a little easier, even though he still stood far too close and was not walking out her door.  “So in the end, Serena Badar chose money over her heart? You are just as shallow as the whores on Bleeker street.”

 

There was no warning, Sloan’s face disappearing roughly from her sight.  It took a moment for her brain to catch up, Sloan stumbling down the steps and Darien now standing in the doorway.  “Do not come to my house again. And stay away from my wife!”

 

Sloan got his barings, looking up at Darien from the sidewalk and glaring.  “And here I thought he trusted you?”

 

Darien took a step and she grabbed his arm to keep him from getting any closer to Sloan.  “I do trust her you ass. But anyone who threatens and calls my wife a whore deserves to be thrown out on his face and never seen again.  Now leave before I report you! And never show her your face again.”

 

Her heart was beating uncontrollably and she truly hoped it would be the last time she ever saw Sloan.  Darien kept watch, making sure he left before gently pushing her back inside and locking the door. He had her gathered into his arms right after the click of the lock.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

She held tight to his shirt, her bits of bravery wearing off and leaving her with shaky knees.  “I am fine. Sloan would never hurt me.”

 

“He tried to!”

 

Mrs. Moon stood off to the side, watching the two of them.  At her words, Darien tried to pull away from her. “I am going to kill him.”

 

She held tight, keeping him from leaving.  “No, Darien, please. Let us just...let it go and move on with our lives.  Please.”

 

He calmed instantly, cupping her face in his hands.  “Are you sure you are alright? You look pale.”

 

She smiled at his tenderness.  “I assure you I am fine. Just a bit of a shock.  The last time I saw Sloan...I thought he was someone else to me.  He was still talking of an annulment.”

 

“Yes, your father warned me of this.”

 

“He...he did??”

 

Digging in his front pocket, Darien pulled out an envelope, the letter postmarked a few days ago.  Opening it, she skimmed it, the words ‘crazed’ and ‘delusional’ coming to the forefront. Things started to spin and next she knew she was in Darien’s arms, him holding her from the floor.  Mrs. Moon was frantic, Darien hushing and calming her as best he could.

 

“Get her some water and chocolate.”

 

The letter was still firmly clutched in her hand, Darien setting her down in the living room.  He forced it from her hold, taking it back from her. “I do...I don’t understand. Sloan was…..normal…”

 

“According to your father, he never truly was.  He suffered a tragedy Serena. When he was 14 his sister was murdered.  He was sent to your father by his parents to get him away from it all. I think they sent him away too late.”  He crouched before her, taking her hands in his. “I don’t think, when he took my identity, that he did it out of anything malicious.  He no longer wanted to be himself. Losing you...forces him to be the man he was before.”

 

“So...father never supported him and never agreed to help end our marriage?”

 

Darien’s brows pinched together, “Why would he?”

 

“Because of Sloan and his lies?”

 

He shook his head, “I am sure your father knows better than to listen to him over me or you.”

 

Mrs. Moon returned, water and chocolate in hand.  “Why chocolate?”

 

Handing her the water, she drank most of it before taking the offered chocolate and biting.  “Low blood sugar can cause fainting. Besides, I heard grassland Sprites love it.”

 

He was smirking at her, both of them feeling much better.  Twerking an eyebrow up at him, she held the chocolate up close to his lips.  “What about brutes?”

 

“Hmmm...too sweet for me.”

 

“Oh really?”

 

She was trying to force it into his mouth, him dodging her every attempt when Mrs. Moon let out a huff.  “Seems to me like the two of you are fine.”

 

Walking out after that, she used the distraction to place the chocolate in her mouth instead so when Darien turned back to her, she kissed him.  Sliding the chocolate from her mouth to his, he let out a disgruntled groan and pulled away, chewing. “And just who is the brute?”

 

She giggled at the frown he wore, smacking his mouth in disgust from the thick, sweet candy he tried to swallow.  “It is not that terrible.”

 

Pulling her to him, he parted her lips with his tongue and tasted her, making an ‘Mmmm’ sound before releasing her.  “It tastes better on you.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Bending over her as he stood, he continued tasting the chocolate on her mouth.  She held tight to his shirt, even with his hands securely on the back of the couch beside her head.  He made it down her neck and then stopped, falling to the couch next to her. A tug and a pull and she had his head resting in her lap, his eyes closed as she looked down on him.

 

Brushing fingers through his hair, he released a moan, encouraging her.  A few moments passed in silence and she built up her nerve. “Darien...there is something I should tell you.”

 

She waited for him to give her the go ahead, but it never came.  Looking back down at him, she found him asleep.

 

OoOoO

 

People were slowly filling his house and although he recognized and liked most of them, he still was not used to so many occupying his home at once.  But this was for Serena.

 

It was the first time either of them held their own dinner party and he loved how the event was making Serena glow.  Mina and Andrew sat near him with him at the head and Serena at the other, although he would rather her sit next to him, it was not how it was done.  Lita and Amy sat together while Raye and her husband, Craig, next to her. Craig...was an interesting fellow that much was sure.

 

And, of course, Mother was there with one of her friends, Mrs. Kenneth.  “Serena dear you are looking well.”

 

“I feel well Mother.”

 

He had a feeling Mother was prying again.  

 

“Classes will be starting again soon. What is everyone taking?”

 

Amy, ever the pragmatic, thankfully stopped any further discussion on the nature of his wife’s health.  With Mother continuously prying, he was going to have to talk with Serena soon. Mother too so she would stop putting hopeful ideas in everyone’s head.  She knew better than most his limitations, and yet she persisted.

 

“Um..about that…”  Everyone grew quiet looking again at Serena.  “I have decided to focus on Literature…”

 

“What?  You’re leaving us?!”

 

Lita looked beside herself, Amy trying to comfort, and Serena did her best as well.  “I will still see all of you as much as possible at Darien’s practice!”

 

“That’s right, Serena can come anytime she wants.  And all of you can come visit when you please as well.”

 

Serena looked at him, them finding each others eyes, and a smile grew on her lips that had his heart skip a beat or two.  She was just too beautiful tonight.

 

“Serena was going to have to stop her schooling soon anyway.”

 

Even Andrew gave his wife a curious look, “And why is that, my love?”

 

Mina took in all the eyes in stride.  “She is a married woman whose husband is in his prime.  They will be having children soon.”

 

She said it so matter of factly that no one challenged it, even though he wanted to.  He kept his mouth shut knowing it was not the time or place for it. Either way, his palms were starting to sweat.

 

Raye was mid bite, looking over at Serena as she spoke.  “Do you want children, Serena?”

 

“Oh of course!  I want a lot of children.”

 

He choked, his food not going down right, and Andrew leaned over to gently pat his back.  All eyes on him now, he waved them off, pretending to not have the ability while the conversation continued around him.  He was thankful when it turned to other topics than children, but he was still shaken. Never did he have that extremely important conversation with Serena and now she was stuck with him.  So intent on keeping her to himself, he had ruined her chances of getting the life she wanted. And now he had no choice but to tell her...and wreck her dreams.

 

OoOoO

 

Their house finally empty, her walking Mother to and out the door with Darien right behind, she felt exhausted.  Mother was giving her curious looks that had her wondering if she was see through. Or maybe her and Mrs. Moon had spoken recently?

 

A kiss to the cheeks and they were alone.  Darien stood off to the side, looking at her but not touching her.  “Is something wrong?”

 

He looked nervous, fidgeting.  “There is something we need to discuss…”

 

“I have something to tell you as well.”

 

The clatter of dishes rang out, reminding them they were not completely alone as their dinner party was being cleaned away.  Holding out a hand, she took Darien’s offer and he lead them both to his study. Her excitement was near its peak, struggling to hold the words in earlier at dinner.  Soon she would tell him and then everyone. It was her reveal to him that she was the most excited for.

 

The study stayed dark for only a moment, Darien going in first and turning on the lamp on his desk.  The dark wood was thick and sturdy, enough so that Darien was able to lean against it without recourse.  Arms crossed over his chest, he looked hardly in the mood for the news she was going to give, but perhaps it would change his brood?

 

“Serena...what I have to say is….difficult.”

 

She felt as though she might burst, unable to wait anymore.  “Then….let me go first.” He perked up a little, looking up and noting her mood as it compared to his.  “I...am pregnant.”

 

He stared at her blankly, not reacting at all.  Not moving either as if in shock.

 

“Darien?  Did you hear me?  I said I am with child.  Your child.”

 

Leaving his chest, his hands flew to the edge of the desk while his head fell to look at the floor.  A second later, she heard the  _ pop _ of the wood from where he was gripping it so tight.  Getting closer, she saw that his jaw was clenched tight as were his eyes.

 

“What….what is wrong?  This is good news!”

 

“Is it?  Maybe to you.  But it shows your ignorance.”

 

Her heart was beating painfully.  Or rather, her heart was in pain as it continued to beat.  “What do you mean by that?”

 

Tearing his eyes from the floor, he looked at her with so much malice, it stopped her heart for a moment.  “Because my dear wife, there is no way that child is mine.”

 

She felt light headed, her confusion and his unexpected reaction to her news making her breathe too much.  “Of course it is yours! Who else would it be??!!”   
  


“That is the question now is it not?  You see, Serena, I cannot have children.”

 

“Yes you can.  And you will, very soon.”

 

“No I mean it is impossible.  As a child, I had a bad case of German Measles.  Surviving cost me the ability to father a child. So you see, what grows inside you, I did not put there.  You have told the wrong man for that child is not mine.”

 

The room was spinning and no amount of breath would make it stop.  This was not going as she had imagined. And none of it was making any sense.  It was Darien’s child, it was. It was impossible for it not to be. Could he not see that?  Regardless of what he was told, he had to be the father, it was physically impossible for it to be anyone else’s.

 

His anger only grew with each word he had spoken and even with his glance elsewhere, she could still feel his complete disdain for her.  “You think….you think it is someone else’s?!”

 

“What else am I supposed to think?  If you truly are pregnant than that is proof of your infidelity.”  His words were like daggers to her heart, sharp and poisonous.

 

Walking right up to him and ridding them of any and all distance between them, she grabbed his face and forced him to look at her.  “I am telling you, Darien, you are the only man I have ever been with! I am yours, body and soul!”

 

His face slacked, a frown and sadness replacing his anger.  “How can I believe that when the proof stares me in the face?”

 

The back of his hand gently grazed her belly, even with its shape unchanged and her dress hiding it, she knew if anyone could see the difference it would be him.  “Darien…”

 

He pulled from her hold and pushed her away.  Saying nothing else even as she left the room with her sobs.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, there's this one and then the epilogue. Man, I wonder if I will ever stop getting sad at the end of these things? Mine and others, I love getting to the end but hate it all the same. Thank you so much to all of you who have read/reviewed/faved/followed. I REALLY appreciate all of it. I really don't care if you don't review me cause we all have lives. I struggle with what to say myself when I review. Honestly, I love the faves and follows too and those are easy to do. So to those who clicked that button, know I appreciate it just as much as those who typed out in the box!
> 
> My betas, man I love you guys! Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, and Sailormoon489 you are awesome. Great friends, editors, and writers. Please, if you do nothing else today, go and read something of theirs. Or find them on tumblr and follow them. Feel free to skip a review for me and go and read/review/follow/fave one of them. Or even another writer! I am more than happy to spread the love and I hope you will all do the same!!
> 
> One more after this and I will post it next week. Enjoy lovelies and thanks again!

 

* * *

**Chapter 12**

The quiet house he returned to was nothing new, since Serena revealed her condition to him over a month ago it had been like this. Summer had long ago collapsed into fall and now fall was about to give in to winter. The nights were cool on the streets as he made his journey home, but they were nothing compared to the bitter cold that was his home.

He had seen little of Serena since that night in his office. At first, she had tried to keep things as they were, maybe to try and force her lie into reality. But everytime he saw her naked body at night, the slight changes in her were like an alarm in his head and he found he could not look at her. Or touch her.

Now she stayed in her room, having moved back out of his, and he never saw her. He hadn't a clue what she looked like now, if she was showing or not. Mrs. Moon had taken to barely tolerating his existence as well. No one greeted him when he came home so he sought someone out for his daily report.

Mrs. Moon was in the kitchen, pulling out his dinner for him. "How is she?"

She gave him a glance, but nothing more, nearly breaking the plate she was setting up for him. "Why do you not ask her yourself?" He answered her with silence and she stopped, glaring at him. "She stays in her room all day every day. There is nothing more to tell."

"Is she eating?"

"Barely. We take trays to her and they come back half touched."

"She should be eating more, not less."

Sloppily arranged on the plate, Mrs. Moon considered her work done and headed for anywhere he was not. "You are the Doctor! You tell her these things!"

His hand shook as he held the knob to her door. He did not know what he would find inside, not having seen her in weeks. Worst of all, he did not know how he would feel when he did see her.

The light traveled across the room, growing as he opened the door to the dark. A lump on the bed, she did not move when he entered. Her back was to him, laying on her side and facing the windows. His approach to the bed did nothing, even as he sat on the side opposite of her she did not stir.

"Serena…" She jumped a little at his voice, but did and said nothing else. "Mrs. Moon tells me...you are not eating..."

"I have."

Her voice was rough and small, nothing like the one he was used to hearing but it still made his heart jump to hear it. "Not enough. Have you….have you seen a Doctor yet?"

Shifting slightly, she pulled at the covers that laid over her, only her arms and up was exposed showing the nightgown that she wore. "I want my husband to be my Doctor."

Her voice cracked as she spoke, breaking over the word 'husband'. He may never know what she thought or felt when he left, but was sure it was all dashed away when he returned with his medical bag. "Lay back."

She hesitated, but soon he saw her face, her lying on her back as told. Her face was red, chapped from tears and it broke him all the more. Pulling the covers away, her nightgown laid gently across the tiny swell of her lower abdomen and he struggled to breathe. He pushed himself forward, checking her pulse and then checking the baby's heartbeat. It took him a few moments, running his stethoscope round and round on her but he found it, the heavy beating strong and fast.

"What's wrong?"

Taking his eyes off her belly, he found her face filled with fear. She sat up quickly, running a hand across his cheek and making him realize he was crying. He said nothing, leaving his hand on the spot and removing his ear pieces for her to wear. He watched as her face lit up, bright and shiny like it used to always be. Her tears matched his, but hers were happy ones as they dripped over her smile.

Soon, the hand that did not hold the earpieces in place wrapped over her mouth, trying to contain her joy and he had to look away. He could never give her this, if she had been faithful, he never would have been able to give her this joy she now felt. It was hard to tell, which tore him up more, her infidelity or the happiness it had brought her, knowing it was something he could never ilicite in her on his own.

He tried to leave even knowing the scene would forever be burned into his brain, but she grabbed him and held him to his spot on the bed. "Our baby is alright?"

He cringed at the word 'our' and knew she saw it. "Yes, the baby is fine. You need to eat more."

"...Yes, Doctor." Trying to leave again proved fruitless, her holding on to him tight. "Darien...it is OUR baby."

It was the same words and fight they had been having for a month now and he had nothing more to add to it. Pulling free of her hold harshly, he removed himself from the room as quickly as possible.

OoOoO

She could not get herself to move, even to go to class. The session was nearly over and she had attended not a single lecture. Just as well, she did not want others seeing her looking like this, asking her questions about the baby. It would only make her break down.

So instead, her meals were brought to her and Mrs. Moon started bringing her books for her to read as well. Working on the latest novel she had been given, the room got steadily darker. It was the middle of the afternoon and it had been a bright day, but now she felt as though she needed to turn on a lamp to see the words on the pages.

It was the flash of light that alerted her to danger and the boom that had her falling deeper into her sheets. Rain hit the glass of her windows hard, acting as if it were a flood or that it would soon be.

Her whole body tensed again as the room lit up again, only to spring up at the  _boom_. The shaking her body started doing was uncontrollable and even though she could not explain it, she now found herself cowering in the corner of her room far away from the windows.

The armour next to her, she pulled her knees into her chest and covered her ears as tightly as possible. Squeezing her eyes tight worked to block out the light, but even with pressing her hands over her ears, she still heard the crack of the thunder. Humming to herself, she tried to keep a steady flow of sound coming from her throat to cover the sound but it was a struggle with her shaking.

Time passed slow, it felt as though the storm was never ending, when wet arms pulled at her. She was up in his arms before she even knew he was there, Darien dripping wet and carrying her back to the bed. There were no words, figuring it out quickly enough. He had left work to come to her side. Given his heavy puffs of air, he had ran all the way to her.

Water was dripping from him, his hair matted to his forehead and he did his best to keep her dry as he laid her back on the bed. Covering her with her sheets, he gave her a serious look. "You should not be sitting on the cold floor. You will become ill."

He turned to leave and she was sure if he did, she would die. Jumping up, she grabbed whatever she could of him, not caring about the wet. "Darien! Please do not leave me."

Shoulders drooping, he folded into himself and pulled from her hold. Her heart was already cracked and broken but it still felt like it was breaking all over again as he pulled from her touch. The sound of the door shutting behind him was like the shutting of her tomb and now the storm mattered not to her. For her sobs covered the sounds of it nicely.

Alone for only a few moments, she felt the bed shift. In her sorrow, she missed his return, now in a dry shirt and pants. Grabbing and pulling him, she forced him to lay with her, scrambling to get him closer to her. He did not fight her, letting her pull him close. She had missed him so much, his touch and smell, his eyes and the way his hair fell into them, the way it felt to have his arms around her and the sound of his voice. Holding tight to his neck, she pressed her nose into it and breathed deeply. She found she could not stop herself, pressing her lips to his skin over and over again. He may never believe her, that she was about to bare his child, but she loved him more than anything. More than enough to forgive him for his accusations. And he loved her, she knew it, otherwise she would still be in the corner alone, if he would only trust her like he used to.

"Serena…" She was sure he meant it as a warning, but it came out as a moan.

She found her way to his mouth, covering it with hers and silencing anything else he had to say before he ruined the moment. He responded to her, but not with his usual enthusiasm. She refused to give up, sliding her tongue across his bottom lip. It was that that was like lighting the flint of a gun.

Pushing, he rolled them over, laying on top of her. His mouth was frenzied on hers, sucking and pulling at her lips in an almost crazed manner. And she met him craze for craze.

They were both hungry; for their touch, taste, smell, and sounds, Darien's hands rubbing down her breast hard. She felt no pain, even though she probably should, she just felt heat. It was rising so quickly in her, it threatened to choke.

Hands fumbled hurriedly, hers on his pants and his on her gown, pushing and shoving to get clothing out of the way. She felt as though she might burst waiting for him to fill her with himself. Now he throbbed deep inside her, only pulling in and out a few times before the flames consumed her, crying out long and hard. But her burst did nothing to put out the fire in her, her body not stopping to meet his thrust.

Wanting to see and feel him, she pulled on his shirt hard, him pausing only a moment to pull it off of himself and she slid her palms all over his chest and back. The feel of his tight skin set her off again, bursting as his hips continued to meet hers.

He sat back on his heels, looking down at her and panting. Darien thought she was done.

Sitting up, she climbed into his lap and sat down on him, filling herself with him again. He growled, grabbing her hips as she started to bounce on him. She stopped her bounce, grinding into him hard. His face was in her chest but her gown still kept him from her skin.

Not so much as a pause, she pulled her nightgown up and over her head, now just as naked as him. Pulling her in tight, he pressed their bodies together and a groan came heavily from her throat at the feeling.

Darien was peppering her chest and neck with his mouth when he pressed it to her throat. Squeezing the strands on the back of his head, she exploded, his name ripping almost painfully from her throat beneath his lips. They were both wet, her coating both their thighs. It caused Darien to groan as well, him biting her shoulder as he found his end. Her name was on his lips as she continued to pump into him, making sure he was completely satisfied before coming to a stop to rest.

They said nothing, holding onto one another in silence. The longer he remained so, the more she felt it prick at her heart and her eyes as the tears threatened to fall some more.

He laid them down, looking at her as he laid beside her, but still said nothing even as he sat up to leave. She could not bare it a second more, sitting up and calling to him before he could put on the rest of his clothes.

"Darien! Please! Don't leave!"

"...I need to get back to work."

Rain now padded the glass softly, the thunder gone long ago. "Will you not look at me?"

His slacks back on his hips, he slowly turned to look at her, his eyes dancing around and lowering to the swell in her belly. Covering it with her hands too late, he turned away from her again and sat with a huff to the bed. Far from her, the silence stretched out again.

She refused to let it be this way, to live like this. "Darien, it is your child. I have only ever been with you so it must be yours. Why do you refuse to believe me?!"

"I do believe you. I believe that to be our child you are growing."

The amount of euphoria she felt nearly had her forgetting the darkness that still lingered over her marriage. "If you believe me, then why are you still making me suffer so?!"

His head fell to his hands, the arch of his bare back as he cradled his face was all she could see. "Because it is an anomaly, Serena. A miracle. Somehow, you are carrying my child but it will be the only one."

"And so you are punishing me?"

"No. I am punishing myself. I should have told you long ago. Let you decide to be with me with all the facts. Serena, we will never have the big family you desire. If you stay with me, that dream of yours will die. And it is my fault."

Leaping, she wrapped herself around him, her chest on his back. "Whether we have one or a thousand children, I will be happy. As long as I have you!"

"You say that now but what about years from now? When all your friends are filling their homes with their offspring? It is the one thing I cannot give to you."

"I do not care!"

He pulled away, standing before her with a cold grimace on his face. "You will care when it is too late and you can do nothing about it. You will come to hate me and this life."

"How? How could I ever hate you?" She placed both hands on her belly as she spoke.

Darien fell to his knees before her, gently moving her hands to the side to place his in their stead. "This baby, truly is a miracle. And you need to take great care of it."

"We can do that together!"

He shook his head, "I will always love and care for both of you but, I think you are not seeing things clearly, Serena."

Placing her hands on his, she silently begged him to look at her. "Darien…."

He pulled away, grabbing his shirt off the floor and pulling it on. "Christmas is coming. I think you should go home. Spend time with your family. And really see what you will be giving up if you stay with me."

She struggled, feeling as though in shock as she grabbed her nightgown and pulled it back on. Darien was long gone by the time she settled back in her bed, the sheets still smelling of him and of their sex. He was sending her away again. And this time, he did not want her to come back.

OoOoO

"You sent Serena away AGAIN for Christmas?!"

Mother was furious, but he was used to her tantrums. "It is for the best."

"For the best? What is that supposed to mean?"

Taking a steady breath, he peered up at her. "Mother, Serena and I are getting a divorce."

He was glad she was sitting, her falling back to the chair hard as if faint. "Why? Why would the two of you do such a thing? Everyone can see how madly in love you are with one another!"

"It is as I said, it is for the best."

"The best for whom?! Is this what you want? What Serena wants?!"

"I want Serena to be happy."

Mother huffed, "There is little doubt in my mind that Serena would be happy with you divorcing her!"

"Serena is not of her right mind. She will come to see that this is the best course of action for her."

"The best course of action?!"

Standing quickly, his chair slapped the floor as he moved away from her and the table to pace. "You heard her the other night! She wants lots of children!"

"Oh my dear sweet boy. Is that what this is about? Your aversion to fatherhood?"

He glared down at her, not stopping in his movements as he hoped it would quell the pain in his heart. "You know it is more than that. I cannot have children, remember Mother?"

She shook her head at him, "The Doctor simply said you may or may not be able to father children and that it would be difficult."

"And I do not want to take such a risk with Serena. She deserves to be a Mother ten times over. Not just once."

"Once?...Is Serena pregnant?"

He stopped, his movements proving useless, and ran a hand through his hair. It also did nothing. "Yes. And you know what the first thing I did when she told me? Accused her of cuckolding me. I do not deserve her. I could live a thousand years and never even come close."

"Although you are not the most astute when it comes to women and their needs, Serena has loved you her whole life! The two of you have always been fated together and now, like it or not, you are forever tied to one another no matter what you do." Mother was smirking at him, "Serena has been gone for over a week now. Tell me Son, how do you feel?"

How did he feel? He felt as if he had ripped his own heart out of his chest and placed it in her suitcase. That was how he felt. That now Serena held on to three beating hearts and none belonged to him. As much as he wanted to take ownership of them, he could not, it was not fair. He never deserved Serena and proof of that had been how he had treated her when she joyfully told him of their child. His first and only thought was of her betrayal. What kind of man was he?!

Now he had lost his heart, all three of them as he gave his heart to her long ago and Serena's heart was never rightfully his. The baby….he had no right to it either as terrible and selfish as he was. He felt nothing in the cavernous hole that was his chest.

"I feel fine. I feel right, Mother."

"Hmm...it you feel that you are so right then tell me this, Doctor. If you told a patient that they may never be able to father a child and then their wife gets pregnant, what would you tell that patient? To kick a gift horse in the mouth? Or maybe, you would tell them you were wrong and they had the chance for children all along?"

OoOoO

It was getting harder and harder to tell her line, 'Darien had to work and will be joining me later' the longer she stayed in her old bedroom. She had been sent home two weeks ago and Christmas was steadily approaching. The closer they got to the Holidays, the less truthful her story became.

She had never lied like this before but the truth was far too hard for her to comprehend. Darien was going to divorce her all because she said she wanted a lot of children. When she said it, she meant she wanted a lot of Darien's children. But that would have been inappropriate to say in front of a crowd. It was becoming painfully clear she should not have said it at all.

The only reason she ever came out of her room was to keep up appearances, she could not stay in her room crying all day like she wanted. That and she had to eat. She had to take care of this baby. It might be the only one she has of Darien's, and if it wasn't his, she didn't want it.

Mother was starting to get worried, it was clear on her face. None knew of her pregnancy or her failing marriage. But if she stayed much longer they would all find out about her pregnancy.

Careful as she walked down the stairs, she tried to fight off the nostalgia she felt, being back in the hall where she met Darien for the first time. The whole house only made things more difficult, dressed from top to bottom for Christmas as usual.

The banister was laced with eucalyptus and red ribbon while a large tree sat beautifully dressed in the foyer. Candles in every window were surrounded by a small garland of Holly and the house smelled of vanilla and roasted chestnuts. The table was set for all the guest they would have that evening, it being Christmas Eve and all. And the best part, it was snowing. They were going to have snow for Christmas. The last thing she wanted was to sit through another Christmas meal without her husband. Especially given the guest list that included Father Lachlan who loved to ask about couples he had wedded.

A knock at the door and Cote pulled it open, stepping to the side for whomever entered. Her heart stopped painfully at the sight of Sloan walking into her home, brushing white flakes off his shoulders. Stepping back quickly, she hid from view before his sweeping gaze found her.

Continuing to hide, she moved backwards into the kitchen and quickly found her Mother. "What is Sloan doing here?"

She clucked her tongue at her, "Honestly, Serena. He is family."

"Father wrote that he was deranged!"

"That does nothing to blood dear, he is still your Cousin."

Taking a plate to the dining room, she was left to worry away in the kitchen. Everyone was moving around in a haste, trying to get the dinner done in time. While she tried not to pass out from fear and worry. Now she regretted telling Sloan of her pregnancy as he was sure to spill to all. The dinner had yet to begin and already, she was exhausted.

Someone must have alerted Sloan to her location, him waiting for her in the hall as she braved leaving the kitchen. Leaning against the wall, his arms and a leg crossed, he wore a smirk that she had to stop herself from smacking off his face. He was silent, that is until she neared.

"Home again without your husband?" Ignoring him, she had every intention of walking around him but he popped off the wall and stood in her way. "Does your family know of your condition?"

Her clothes still hid her from the world, including Sloan. "I lied that day, I am not with child. Now excuse me."

Taken a step to go around, he sidestepped and blocked her. "I thought you did not lie, that only I did?"

His grin was really bothering her. That and his inability to let things go. "Please let me pass."

"If you are not pregnant, then perhaps you lied about consummating as well? That would explain why you are here and your husband is not."

"Sloan. My husband will be here shortly, he was detained with work…"

"And yet when I asked his work, I was told he would be there through the holidays, as usual." Her air caught in her throat, pressing hard on her lungs as it bounced back against them. "So what, if anything you have said to me, is the truth? I do know that your husband is not joining you here. Is he ever? Or are you to stay here till your divorce is finalized?"

"Leave me alone, Sloan."

She tried and failed to go around him again. "Come now, what's a little honesty between family? If your husband is leaving you, you should tell me!"

Glaring up at him, she tried to swallow her tears. "Why would I tell you anything?"

Sloan grabbed her pulling her to him. "Because I love you, Serena…."

He stopped when her bump hit his stomach, his attempt to pull her into a hug giving her away. The hands she had between them pushed hard, but she was given her release once he felt it. Now he stared at the spot, wondering if he had imagined it or not.

"As you can see, my husband has no reason to leave me…"

"Unless he does not want to be a father?"

She pressed her lips together in a fine line, again trying to stop her tears from falling. Sloan moved towards her and she tried to step back and out of his reach, but he grabbed her arms and pulled her back.

"I will take care of you. Let me take care of you Serena."

She did not want Sloan to take care of her, she wanted Darien. But Darien no longer wanted her, sending her here with the promise of never coming home again. To their home.

He finally released her when she remained silent and she stepped around him, wanting to get far away. "If you do not accept my offer, then I will tell your father everything. Once he knows your husband has abandoned you, he will gladly hand you over. You really have no choice."

Then why was he bothering to ask?

She ran away, finding solace in more people around even though she was not ready for the onslaught of questions she was about to receive. The first question right away was, "Where is Dr. Shields?" Thankfully, Mother answered for her while she found a seat far away from eyes.

Dinner was as expected, more questions about her life and marriage. She knew it was coming but now with Sloan constantly watching her every answer and smirking, it had her far more uneasy. When she told everyone that she was perfectly content in London and could not wait to go home, it was not a lie, but Sloan looked as though he would expose her right then and there. He was loving torturing her.

Finally over, everyone moved to the living room and she tried to make her exit. "Everyone please excuse me. I am not feeling well and fear I must retire."

"Oh but Serena, you have not told everyone your big announcement."

Sloan was grinning ear to ear, pulling the rug out from under her. He had been waiting, waiting till she thought she was safe before going in for the kill. And he wanted everyone present to hear it. Hear her tell the truth that she did not want to admit to even to herself.

Mother stood nearby, looking worried. Part of her was sure her Mother already knew the truth, that her marriage had failed. But she did not know the worst part, that it had failed and now she would have a child on her own.

"An announcement? How exciting!"

Mrs. MacKinnon had her appetite wetted again already and they had just had dinner.

Mother came to her side, wrapping an arm around her. "Perhaps now is not the time. Serena is looking a bit pale."

"It is all that London sun! She is fine, let her speak."

Sloan was not going to let her get away, the ass forcing her to tell all. Father's brow dipped as well, one of confusion and concern. Mother still held her but she was sure it was more out of her looking unstable on her feet. Here it was, the moment it would all come out and she had to reveal it in front of so many. Even the man that married her to Darien.

"I need….to tell you all that….Darien…"

The bell silenced her, everyone looking around and then at Mother and Father. "Were we expecting someone else this evening?"

Cote was already at the door, letting the mystery person in while her heart returned to normal, never more thankful in her life for the interruption. That is until the interruption entered the living room.

Brushing snow out of his black, shaggy locks was Darien. "Sorry I am so late everyone."

Mother released her, going to Darien with Father in her heels. "We were starting to think you would not be joining us Son, Serena told us you were held back with work?"

Father seemed to be helping her with her tale. Maybe she was not as good a liar as she thought. She hardly cared, it was not a trait she wanted and she was far more focused on the train that was her racing heart. Had Darien come all this way to tell her parents of their divorce to their faces?

Stealing a glance, she found Sloan had lost his grin. When she looked back, Darien was glaring at Sloan but quickly put his eyes on her. A smile spread across his face and the speed of her heart made it trip painfully. She hastily found the floor with her eyes, fearful of what other reactions she might have if she continued to hold his gaze.

"Work is always a bit hectic this time of year, yes. Please forgive me for missing so much." His shoes blocked her view of the floor and he placed a finger under her chin to force it up to his face. "Forgive me, Wife?"

She was so confused and startled, her brain spinning while her heart continued to tremble. He would not treat her this way if he planned to tell all about them would he?

He was still staring down at her, his finger under her chin. "You look pale. Have you been eating?" Giving him a nod he dropped all contact with her. "I must apologize again, I should take Serena to bed. She really needs some rest in her condition."

He took a hand and gave her swell a small pat, showing all what her dress had been hiding. An audible gasp was heard around the room, Greer and Kyla releasing small squeals. All the blood her heart had been furiously pumping now found its way to her face.

Sloan appeared next to them, an eerie calm had settled over him. "Congratulations. Both of you."

He said nothing else as he walked out into the snow. Darien apologized again before taking her away, her having to lead him to her room. Once there, she pulled herself from his grasp and left him by the door.

"You are angry with me. I know."

"I am more than angry Darien. I am...beside myself. For months now you have been punishing me for getting pregnant. Like it was my fault!"

"I know and I'm sorry. You do not deserve it. And I do not deserve you or your forgiveness."

Her back to him the whole time, she found the nerve to face him. He was where she left him, standing idle by the door. "Then what are you doing here? Are you here to tell everyone of the baby and our divorce yourself?"

"I will gladly tell all about our baby but I am saying nothing of our divorce."

"Why not?"

"Because I am hoping we will not have one." Doing a strange flip flop, her heart had her needing to sit down. Darien was crouching before her in a flash. "Are you alright?"

His forehead creased with his concern, causing her to run her fingers across it. "When did you get so old?"

He huffed loudly, "When I married you."

Dropping her eyes and her smile, she stared at his hands on her knees. "Why are you here, Darien? You sent me away, told me we were divorcing, and said it was for my own good without giving me a say. What are you doing here?"

He was silent and it felt as if her heart dropped into her knees. When he pressed his fingers under her chin to lift up her gaze, her cheeks were wet with tears. "I would do anything for you Serena. I would give up my practice, my wealth, my home, my sanity. I would give my life for you Serena, over and over again. But, I'm afraid I just cannot let you go. It is the one thing I am truly unable to do even if it is for the better."

She grabbed his face in her hands, "No one asked you to."

Now he was crying, tears streaking down his face just as they did on hers. "I missed you. So much."

"I missed you too. I kept lying, telling everyone you were just late because I wanted it to be true." She was blubbering.

Then falling, sliding off the bed and into his arms, both of them laughing and crying as they held tight to each other. She kissed his face. All over it; his cheeks, brow, eyelids, nose, saving his lips for last. Once their lips met, he pulled her in all the way to him, her bump meeting him first. He pushed her back gently, laughing as he wrapped his hands around her swell.

"Sorry little one. I forgot there for a moment."

This time, when he pulled her in, he was more careful of the change in her body. His caress was tender and wanting, cupping her cheeks and holding her to his mouth. She showed her desire was equal, grabbing and pulling on his hairs till his head tilted back and angled up to hers.

He pulled away from her again, getting his mouth free but waited until she opened her eyes. Deep and dark, his blue eyes, the exact same eyes from her childhood, searched hers. "You really should rest. And you should not be on this cold floor. You should refuse me."

Releasing his strands, she grabbed his head hard, her palms pressing against his cheeks. "I will never refuse you."

At some point, she wondered if any of the house guest waited for Darien to return, the two of them rocking in her bed most of the night. But, it was a vague and distant worry in her mind, Darien pressing his mouth to hers to swallow her moans again.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check-in next week for the epi!!!


	13. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The end! No worries, I have more fluffy fun stuff coming your way so stay tuned! I might post my Vegas fic next. This is short and sweet and I hope it makes you all warm inside as it did me!
> 
> Thank you to my betas Beej88, DarkenedHrt101, SailorMoon489. And thank you to all of you who R&R and faved and followed. You guys make this all more worthwhile. INcluding a preview of Vegas Baby! my next fic to post at the end of this. Read it and let me know what you guys think!

 

* * *

**Epilogue**

She was slowly making her way down the stairs. A tricky feat, given the size of her belly. It stuck out far beyond her, entering every room first. He would be lying if he said it did not make him nervous every time he saw it.

One hand on the rail, the other on the point of her swell, she gave him a lopsided grin when she caught sight of him. "You are supposed to be napping."

He took her hand and guided her the rest of the way down. "I know. But as soon as I lay down, he starts up."

"Oh? So it's a he now? Last week you assured me it was a girl."

"Yes well he has a football man's kick." He could not stop the laughter that rolled out of him, trying to pull her to the living room but she stopped when it came into view. "Where is Mother?!"

"In the garden."

"The garden?! Darien they are going to run her ragged."

She was already heading for the back door, moving as fast as she could waddle. "I know. But we both thought it would be best to take them outside."

"Mommy!"

Golden curls swirled and bounced, the small body now racing towards them at unprecedented speed. He intercepted, jumping in front of Serena and grabbing the girl mid-flight.

"Delilah! You know better than to jump on your Mother! She is carrying enough of a load already!"

Serena sweetly petted the scolded girl, her smile calm and bright. "It's alright, Grandmother. She is just feeling forgotten."

He set her back on her feet, Mrs. Moon arriving with tea and biscuits that had the six-year-old racing the other direction. Coming to his mother's side, he plucked his two-year-old out of her arms.

"And what about you, Layla? Are you feeling forgotten?"

The little one giggled, wrapping chubby little arms around his neck and planting wet kisses to his cheek as he carried her over to the table, all of them sitting for tea. Delilah sat in Mrs. Moon's lap who was wiping chocolate off her cheeks. Serena took the chair next to him and Layla, rubbing her belly as she watched the scene with him. Mother poured the tea, going on and on about private girls' schools.

"I am not sending my children away, Mother."

She genuinely looked surprised. "It would be for the best!"

But he just shook his head, Serena giggling with Layla as she fed her a cookie. "Not my miracle babies. You cannot expect me to part with them."

Mother sat, a conflicted look on her face. "Darien darling, there is a….little something I should reveal to you."

Mrs. Moon chortled across from him, not looking at him and having him worried. "What? What did you do Mother?"

"The thing is dear, you were 16 and adamant about never having children so….I made it up."

Serena's head popped up from the baby, "You made up what, Grandmother?"

"German measles. You never had them Darien."

"What?!"

"I talked your Doctor into lying with me, he agreed you were far too young to be so set in your ways."

"Mother...do you have any idea what you put me through? What you put us through?!"

The only reason he was keeping his voice low was so he did not scare his daughters or very pregnant wife. But he was livid. Mother had done some crazy things throughout his life, but this was far and away the worst.

"I would do it again in a heartbeat! If I did nothing, who knows if we would be surrounded by such beautiful children now. I knew you two would make gorgeous babies together."

He pinched the bridge of his nose tight, a headache threatening. "And yet, you almost cost me my marriage with the same lie."

Serena just giggled, grabbing and pulling his fingers away. "Did you really not want children that much?"

She was also whispering, not wanting their children to hear such a question. "Well….I was...but after you were pregnant with Delilah I wanted to see you that happy as much as possible. And no way I would trade any of this life away for another. Besides, you make for one beautiful pregnant woman."

She leaned over and he met her halfway, planting a small but warm kiss on her smiling lips.

"This means, you can have as many children as you want."

Mrs. Moon added, killing his mood again. Serena padded his shoulder, Layla begging to go to her so he released her. Not much space for the little one to sit, he watched as her tiny fingers wrapped around the swell of Serena's stomach. Golden curls draped over it like a curtain, Layla resting her head on her sibling and giggling when the baby inside her Mother kicked.

Serena gave the baby a kiss and caught his stare without guilt from either of them. "You said you wanted a lot. So how many is that?"

Her eyes danced around, looking from child to child to her belly. Then back to him, "We do have five bedrooms."

He groaned but still smirked over at her. "They already out number us."

"My editor wants another book by the way."

"Tell him you are too busy making babies!"

Serena stuck out her tongue but grinned just the same. "You should be happy. Getting more time in Gaeilge."

"I get all the time I want in there. My wife never refuses me."

"Which is why our children out number us."

"And I would not want it any other way."

* * *

**Vegas Baby Preview**

My pillow was so warm and soft. But firm at the same time. It was the perfect combination really and what told me right out I was in my hotel room bed. It was the only thing that made sense and that brought me some comfort, slipping a little further back into the void of unconsciousness. My sheets were wrapped around me a little too tight, but they were warm and soft like my pillow. But firm. This hotel must pride itself on the correct firm to soft ratio with its bedding.

Wait...why did my bed smell of pine? Was that another feature of this hotel? That's kinda weird cause it smells just like…

My eyes flew open and were met with a sea of white and tan. Olive skin. That was what I noticed first; tight and toned and warm under my cheek. A groan from my small movements let me know two things; the person under me was real and alive. I wasn't sure if either of those things really brought me comfort.

When I tried to sit up or move any further than laying on this person, I found it impossible. A steel trap around me, arms wrapped and draped so that I was pinned to the person under me. And they were REALLY under me, my legs tangled with theirs and my arms around their ribs.

And we were naked.

A quick inventory; sore back and shoulders, tired hips, and, of course, a lovely ache between my legs confirmed it for me. I had slept with the man under me. The lack of tension in my entire body, having slept like a baby next to a stranger, and the sore muscles that had never been sore before told me it was good too. So it was my luck I didn't remember it.

Why didn't I remember it? Why didn't I remember anything? The last thing I remember….what was it…?

_24 hours ago…_

"Take it all in ladies! This is the last of my maidenhood!"

Mina held her arms out wide to the strip before them, people passing by with smirks on their faces at the strange girl. Raye gripped her forehead, already in pain. "Mina, you are far from a maiden."

Turning on her heel, Mina faced the four of us. I was trying to hold in my giggle while Raye and Lita laughed outright. "I am getting married in two weeks! That is the end of my….singlehood!"

"Singlehood? Mina, that's not a word." Amy sounded annoyed but she never wanted to come on this trip in the first place. I highly expected a 'headache' from her and for her to hide in her room till all of this was over.

"Whatever! Girls, this is my bachelorette party! How about we look a bit more alive?!"

Mina looked like she might cry so I ran to her side and wrapped an arm around her ribs, "She's right guys! Not to mention, this is the first time in a year we have all been together like this."

"We get together all the time Serena…" Lita added but even her tone said she didn't believe it.

"Not like this! Raye and Amy are either working or are with their fiances. Whom we all love!" I added when they looked like they were going to fight me on it, "Mina has been busy planning her wedding along with Lita who has her bakery to handle. And it is definitely the first time in a year Lita has been able to go out all night long and have any drinks with us!"

The new mother was already struggling to relax, that much was clear. This was the first time Lita would be spending the night away from her little one and it showed, calling every hour to 'check in'. Poor Nile was a true trooper, taking care of little Jason all by himself and a neurotic Lita.

"We should all relax and enjoy one another's company!"

"And stick together!" Raye added cautiously.

Lita gave the woman a nudge with her elbow. "Was that friendly advice? Or advice from our lawyer?"

"Both. They are lying when they say, 'What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas'. Everything here is the same as everywhere else. And the marriages are just as legally binding."

"Who is going to get married? Save for Mina...and Amy and Raye...wow, I just realized how alone I am and HEY!"

Amy chuckled but just shook her head at me in agreement. Raye was pointing a finger at me silently and Lita looked like she was about to hit the floor from laughing so hard. Even Mina was against me on this, a concerned look on her face.

"If any of us would be crazy enough to get married on a whim, it's you, Serena."

"What? Why me? I'm not even dating someone, who the hell would I marry?!"

Our trek from the parking lot to the front desk had come to an end, our heels clicking on the marble floor while the wheels of our suitcases ground softly in comparison. Well, my heels didn't click because I wore wedges. Much safer.

Even in the lobby, the pings and dings of the slot machines could be heard, but not seen. Like they were calling out to you. I never had much of a desire to gamble, hence why I'd never done it. But now it would be a life experience. Just something fun and crazy I did once years ago.

I had been walking backward, keeping my eyes on my friends with Mina beside me. But she stopped short and I was forced to stop, stumbling towards the others after walking into a pole or something. Who put that there in the middle of the lobby?!

The pole was cursing now and I slowly turned to the voice, my blood already running cold at the sound of it. Stormy dark blue eyes met mine, anger flashing in them as they switched from one emotion to the next and back again.

"Serena? Serena Tsukino, what are you…"

His eyes left mine, looking around behind me while my heart continued to beat hard in my throat. Any words I had were stuck behind it, making for a pile-up in my chest and a build of pressure from it.

"AH, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Hello, ladies. Nice to see you all again."

A glance behind me had me wanting to throw up my heart and my words, my friends all looking guilty already at me and the man behind me like they knew something I didn't and it had my nerves even more on edge.

"Mina, you are looking lovely. Congratulations. I had expected to see you all in a couple of weeks but looks like I've stumbled on the bachel…"

"Wait..what?! Why would YOU see us in a couple of weeks?!"

A grin grew out of his shock and surprise from my outburst, but he remained silent. My skin felt as if it would melt off as I slowly turned around to face my 'so-called' friends. The answer was clear with the guilt-ridden faces I found when I faced them again, but I still needed to hear it.

"Miiiinnaaaaa?"

She looked to the others for help but they gave her a shrug or a shake of their heads in shame. "He's...he's Karl's BEST friend, Serena…"

"You are KIDDING ME!" Storming off, I heard the heels that followed, a pack of perfect ladies forced to chase after me and my sloppy wedges.

"Serena, I'm sorry! But I didn't think you would agree to be my maid of honor if you knew who the best man was!"

I swerved, nearly taking down a blue-haired lady that had gotten too close. "Of COURSE I would have agreed! Mina, you are my best friend! And you kept this from me! That hurts way worse!"

If they had told me, I could have prepared. Gotten me a date and lost five pounds beforehand. At least I could still get a wax and a haircut, not that it would matter I would still be the hot mess he always knew me as.

Somewhere in the slots, they caught me, a hand gripping my shoulder gently as they surrounded me and caged me in. Lita, who held me softly, came into my vision. "Serena, you can't really blame us for...expecting the worst. You always get a little..sensitive when it comes to Darien Shields."

"Can you blame me? After what he did to me?"

I felt tired, defeated. Years spent bettering myself and feeling good about who I am and one second in front of Darien and it all got shot to shit.

"No, no one blames you. Honestly, I've always admired you for how you handled yourself. But you let him affect you so much still to this day. It was High School, Serena. We all moved on, grew up, and changed. You especially." Raye countered.

It almost worked to make me feel better, except there was one problem. "All my 'moving on and growing up' always falls flat around him. Literally!"

Amy wrapped an arm around my ribs, leaning against me. "When I first started working with him at the hospital, I avoided him and shunned him because of what he did to you. But he is a changed man, Serena."

It wasn't that I didn't believe Amy, I knew she wouldn't lie or speak with doubt. But the truth was, knowing he was a 'better man' really only made things worse for me. "I just...I need a minute alone. I'll catch back up with you guys in a little bit."

"Serena…"

I quickly hugged Mina and then the others, "It's fine. I'm fine. I just need a little time. And then, it is all about you Mina I swear. I'll meet you guys at the room."

I didn't even have a key but my cell phone worked. All I would have to do is give them a call and find our rooms. All I knew was that I was sharing with Mina and Amy, Lita and Raye in the adjoining so they could take any late-night calls if need be.

Lita took my bag from me, bright pink and white polka dots standing out even in the sea of neon lights. The others had black suitcases, save for Mina who had gold Louis Vuitton. Even though it was just as flashy as mine, there was a vast difference in maturity between the two styles.

But the salary of a food critic paled in comparison to a model.

Not that I wanted Louis Vuitton, I'd rather spend the money on my mortgage. Instead, I spent it on this trip, struggling to get the funds together for such a lavish party for Mina. But it was worth it.

I would just write a few extra advice columns, moonlighting as a dating columnist was new and fun but depressing since I hadn't had a date in a month. Or a serious boyfriend in over a year. GOD, I needed to get out more.

The bar was calling out to me almost literally, the bartender behind it giving me a wink and a wave even as I bee-lined to it. It took a small hop to get up on the high stool in my tight skirt, Mina demanding they all dress like high-class hookers. Maybe that was why a glass was slid in front of me as soon as I sat down.

The bartender smirked and then pointed down to the end of the bar. Pretty green eyes met mine and sparkly white teeth. They stood out even more against his tan skin. As did his white hair.

He was older, that much was clear and rich, his suit cost more than my plane ticket by the looks of it. At the end of the bar, but not for long as he sauntered his way over to me, I soon had a front-row seat to tasty man meat before me.

"Diamond."

"As in Neil?"

He chuckled, deep and sultry. "Yeah, I guess so."

I held out my hand and he took it without hesitation, his thumb already rubbing the back of my hand. "Serena. Nice to meet you, Neil."

He chuckled again and I couldn't decide if I liked his attention or not. But it was free booze, drinking the one offered in two gulps. My glass hit the tabletop and Diamond raised his hand for another.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Neil?"

He shrugged, "Maybe."

The alcohol was already hitting my system, thanks in large part to my empty stomach. "That's not very nice. I don't even know you."

"Let's change that. Todd Diamond, Casino owner, millionaire and philanthropist, and great in the sack."

I sputtered on his last comment, nearly spewing my mouthful of alcohol across the bar. "Really? And just how much of that is true?"

"Why all of course."

"Oh please. This is Vegas and you are a stranger. People come here and become someone else all the time."

His grin didn't falter even as I called him a liar to his face. "And what about you? Who are you?"

"Serena, food and dating critic, poor, and I don't know how I am in bed but I've never gotten any complaints."

"I bet not." He purred.

I ignored the chill that ran across my skin, blaming the air conditioning vent I was under when I knew better. I still didn't pull away from the guy because I just needed the attention. I was being a child and I knew it but I just didn't care.

"So...do you own this casino?"

He shook his head as he spoke, white strands falling in his face, "Nope. I own the one next door. You should come check it out."

I giggled, the booze making me do so I swear. "Is that how you get your millions? Going into competitors' casinos, buying drinks for their patrons, and then stealing them back to your place?"

He stood, his hand now on my back and touching my skin as he leaned into me. "I do like 'stealing' pretty girls away. I could give you a tour. Let you see behind the scenes. And if you like what you see, take you up to my penthouse and fuck till dawn."

At least he was honest about his intentions. "I'm here with friends. My friend is getting married…"

"Blow them off."

My skin crawled again at the way he said 'blow'. Like he really wanted to tell me to blow him. But it was an...interesting offer. No way I could take it, Mina and the girls would spend the whole night freaking out and looking for me instead of enjoying the night they were supposed to. But I could give them a call….

"I just have to make a call."

oOo

Oh, GOD! I had blown off Mina on her last night as a single woman! All for some prick who bought me a few drinks! That was how they got you, get you tipsy when you are already vulnerable.

The realization of what I had done had me ready to 'coyote ugly' myself free of this guy and run to Mina to beg not to be kicked out of the wedding. My memory was fuzzy after I decided to leave with Diamond, but given our current...position, it wasn't too hard to figure out that I had; called Mina with an excuse, left with Diamond, maybe even got an interesting tour of his casino, and then went with him up to his penthouse to have sex. And clearly, I had SEVERAL more drinks, my blackout and burning scalp the proof. That, and I was in bed with a stranger which was a 'life experience' and not one I ever wanted.

But the deed was done, I had officially had a one night stand. Guess it was bound to happen at some point in my life, what with my track record of being a complete screw-up. I couldn't worry about that now, the issues it was going to bring about like; did we use protection or what dirty things I let him do to me while wasted, would have to wait. I couldn't remember now anyway and I needed to get to Mina first.

Gently, I began the painfully slow process of extracting myself from the dead weight that surrounded me. I barely got my head off of him when he shifted, pulling me back in tight and rolling the two of us onto our sides. The hand he had on top moved from my back downward until he had one of my ass cheeks in his hold. Then he kissed the top of my head, his nose burying deep into my scalp and breathing deep.

"Hmmm...you smell good, Serena."

Freezing so hard that I cringed got the body around me to do the same. That was not Diamond's voice. I was slowly pushed back from my pillow, his naked chest, only to have wide dark blue eyes on mine.

My breath was limited, struggling to get my lungs to function as I watched his eyes take in my naked body next to his. "Darien…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well? Should I post this next? What do you think??


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